Notwithstanding lofty claims by both the Central and State governments about coming to the rescue of migrant workers during the lockdown, the disconnect with ground realities is all too glaring.
A group of 18 migrant workers from Rajasthan, which started its 2,500-km journey from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu to their native village in Karauli district of Rajasthan, are still far from their destination even after almost 40-odd days of exhausting and expensive travel via Telangana.
The group, including six children and two women in advanced stages of pregnancy, had reached the border of Andhra Pradesh at Done in Kurnool district where they were kept in a shelter for over a month, they claimed.
Earlier last week, they were released stating that permission was accorded for their return after which they reached here.
Despite efforts of the authorities to convince them to stay put in this part of the State till their train reservation is confirmed, they left for their native place, hitching a lorry ride on Thursday night.
The group landed in Nagpur in Maharashtra the very next day and then reached Madhya Pradesh where they are now stranded.
“We have not yet reached home, and we don’t know when we will return to work. We have to speak to our contractor and he must make sure that we can get work in future without any hassle. Public transportation must be restored so that we travel to our native place when required,” Monu, one of the members of the migrant group, told The Hindu over phone.
Others in the group said they would prefer to stay back in their native village and live on whatever little they can earn locally instead of finding work in another State. “What was left there for us? No one was taking care of us,” said Gayatri, who is eight months pregnant, adding that her parents back in the village would at least take care of her and her family.
Another migrant worker, Vijayender, elaborated on the expenses that they have incurred in their attempt to return home.
“We have spent about ₹10,000 per person from the time we started our journey on March 29. I do not know how much time it will take for us to reach our village. We have spent over ₹1 lakh on our journey so far and it may cost us another ₹50,000 if things go to plan,” he said.