Was it possible to send migrants home before announcing lockdown?

India ha sentered day 4 of the lockdown and yet migrant labourers from all over Delhi are adament on reaching their home despite public transport being shutdown. Their complaint is that due to lockdown, they have no means to earn the money and hence they will starve to death in Delhi. Which begs the question, could the government have given migrants time to go back home before imposing the lockdown?