NIZAMABAD: After walking non-stop for five days along the National Highway-44, a group of 20 migrants had their first hot meal when they reached the Perkit Junction in Nizamabad, late on Friday evening. The 800 kilometre distance they had travelled from Chennai until then, was only half way to their home in Satna, Madhya Pradesh.
“Only when we got here, some good Samaritans offered us rotis and rice,” said a visibly fatigued Ramkumar Joshi (28), while getting ready for the arduous journey ahead. While the group had left with some food, they ran out of it within the first two days. For the rest of the journey up to Nizamabad, it was only biscuits and water.
“My vision had started to become blurry because of no food for almost three days. I feel so much better now,” the young migrant worker said, profusely thanking those distributing food to hundreds of people walking along the highway — desperate to reach their homes.
This group of labourers employed at construction sites in Chennai said they lost their jobs soon after the lockdown was announced.
“We were left with no other choice but to return to our villages. Our contractor told us that he will not be able to give us work till the lockdown is lifted. We stayed back thinking work will resume soon, but when the lockdown kept getting extended, we lost hope. Since we did not have enough money to hire a truck, we packed whatever leftover food we had and started walking,” said Ashok Lal, another migrant in the group. The workers said the very next day after lockdown was announced, their contractor stopped work and paid them only half the wages. “They (authorities) should have informed us about the lockdown a few days in advance. We are now on the roads with no shelter or money,” rued another distressed worker.
“Neither state governments nor the central government did anything for us. Otherwise, why would we walk all the way to Satna from Chennai,” asked Lal, when as he kept walking along the highway.
He was still another five days from home.
“Only when we got here, some good Samaritans offered us rotis and rice,” said a visibly fatigued Ramkumar Joshi (28), while getting ready for the arduous journey ahead. While the group had left with some food, they ran out of it within the first two days. For the rest of the journey up to Nizamabad, it was only biscuits and water.
“My vision had started to become blurry because of no food for almost three days. I feel so much better now,” the young migrant worker said, profusely thanking those distributing food to hundreds of people walking along the highway — desperate to reach their homes.
This group of labourers employed at construction sites in Chennai said they lost their jobs soon after the lockdown was announced.
“We were left with no other choice but to return to our villages. Our contractor told us that he will not be able to give us work till the lockdown is lifted. We stayed back thinking work will resume soon, but when the lockdown kept getting extended, we lost hope. Since we did not have enough money to hire a truck, we packed whatever leftover food we had and started walking,” said Ashok Lal, another migrant in the group. The workers said the very next day after lockdown was announced, their contractor stopped work and paid them only half the wages. “They (authorities) should have informed us about the lockdown a few days in advance. We are now on the roads with no shelter or money,” rued another distressed worker.
“Neither state governments nor the central government did anything for us. Otherwise, why would we walk all the way to Satna from Chennai,” asked Lal, when as he kept walking along the highway.
He was still another five days from home.
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