The Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHRA) has written to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, requesting the operation of special train services to bring back migrant workers who had returned to their home states to vote in the recent assembly elections.
Background of the Request
The association specifically asked for special trains from Assam and West Bengal, where assembly elections were held alongside Kerala last month. Hotels and restaurants, particularly in Ernakulam, heavily depend on migrant workers for daily operations. The industry faced significant disruption after the workers left, forcing many establishments to halve their business over the past month. Additionally, an LPG shortage compounded the challenges.
Impact on Business
G Jayapal, President of KHRA, stated: "When the migrant workers returned to their native places, we were forced to cut our businesses to half a month ago. Also, the LPG shortage issue surfaced. Though the LPG issue has been addressed, workers haven't returned yet, affecting the hotel industry. Hence we requested the railway minister to arrange special trains from Assam and West Bengal."
Around 5,000 eateries in Ernakulam are KHRA members. Many hotels stopped preparing evening snacks and making juice after the workers left. "We depend on them mostly for cleaning and washing utensils, but not for cooking Kerala recipes. Some employ them to prepare Arabic recipes. Around 15% of hotels across the state remain shut even now as workers haven't returned. Around Rs 1,500 hike in LPG prices in just three months is another issue," Jayapal added.
Letter to Railway Minister
The letter to the railway minister explained: "In connection with the recent assembly elections in these states, many workers returned to their native places to cast their vote. However, they are now facing severe difficulties in returning to Kerala due to the unavailability of adequate train services. The existing trains are heavily overcrowded and securing seats has become extremely difficult. This situation has led to an acute shortage of labour in Kerala, severely affecting the functioning of hotels, restaurants and other sectors dependent on migrant workers. The ongoing disruption is causing operational challenges and economic strain across industries."
Additional Appeal
Meanwhile, KHRA also wrote to Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, requesting the withdrawal of the recent Rs 993 price hike on commercial LPG cylinders.
