With construction sites, manufacturing facilities and the entire economic activity coming to a standstill, post the announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a complete lockdown across India, labourers, daily wages construction workers, students and many more are now out on highways trying to walk down to their hometowns.
Millions were on the streets, endlessly just walking kilometres and kilometres crossing borders of various states, by foot, just trying to reach back their homes safely.
Out of food, with no money, no salary, no wages and with a lost hope, several states such as Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Bihar and many more states including the ones in West India are witnessing migration of labourers and daily wagers across India.
Noting the movement, despite strict orders and the state government volunteers trying to convince these migrating population to stay in nearby shelter homes, these people refused to get convinced and decided to reach their native place by foot.
As this migration was continued to be seen over the first three days of the 21 day lockdown announced by Prime Minister, finally on the fourth day -- March 28, home ministry has now come with a fresh advisory for all states to take care of their migrating population, including those who are just crossing the state to reach their own hometown which might be in the other adjoining state when it comes to meeting there food, clothing accommodation and medical care.
Ministry of home affairs (MHA) in its mid-day advisory to all state chief secretaries said, "Relief Measures - Provision for temporary accommodation, food, clothing medical care etc. would be applicable to homeless people, including migrant labourers, stranded due to lockdown measures, and sheltered in the relief camps and other places for providing them food etc, for the containment of spread of Covid-19 virus in the country."
MHA has directed states/UTs to include these provisions for temporary accommodation,food,clothing,medical care etc. for homeless people, including migrant labourers, stranded under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) allocations.
In the national capital, areas such as outer Delhi, North East Delhi and East Delhi have seen people leaving their rented accommodation and moving towards their native places majorly in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar.
These migrants are claiming that they don't have food and money to survive but if they manage to reach their native places they can easily survive and will have their permanent accommodation for next few months.
Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, on March 27 met with many of these migrants, walked with them, tried to convince them to stay in nearby shelter homes but could not go back with a sense of satisfaction.
After a detailed analysis of the situation, Delhi government on Saturday morning decided to arrange buses to help these migrants reach their home towns.
"I met many of them around different locations. I found many coming from neighbouring cities like Panipat (Haryana), crossing from Delhi. Central government, Delhi and UP government discussed this issue today early morning and then it was decided that bus services should be allowed for limited period to help the migrants. About 100 buses of Delhi Government and around 200 buses of Uttar Pradesh Government are taking people trying to walk from Delhi," Manish Sisodia told CNBC-TV18
"Nevertheless, I still appeal to everyone to follow the lockdown. This is the solution to keep the corona effect under control. Delhi government is also trying to convert schools into shelter homes. Delhi will not let anyone go hungry in these trying times. More measures will continue to come," he added.
Meanwhile, Raj Shekhar, managing director of Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) has also written to all District Magistrates/Senior superintendent of police/ superintendent of Police of UP state, saying that "on the directions of the government of Uttar Pradesh, the UPSRTC is deploying buses to provide transport facilities to people stuck at various points at border district of Delhi . The bus have started reaching Noida and Ghaziabad. Around 200 Buses will Depart from for every 2 hours from 8 am onwards."
"UPSRTC has requests all DMs/SSPs/SPs to inform all their border check points , not to stop these buses enroute. Allow and facilitate these buses to reach their destination smoothly. The special task of carrying the people from Delhi border to various districts of UP will continue for today 28th March and 29th March. We would also request the "Destination Points District DMs" to take note of the Bus details reaching their District Points today and tomorrow and to make arrangements for the "Medical Screening" of all passengers alighting at the Termination points and also maintain the Passengers details like Name, Address, Mobile number etc for further Monitoring and Supervision," said Shekhar.
