Jharkhand’s migrants arrive in chartered flight from Mumbai

RANCHI: It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for Sunil Kumar. The 35-year-old native of Giridih in Jharkhand eked out a living in Mumbai as a daily wager. Always hard pressed financially, Kumar did not even dream of being on board and aircraft.
But it all changed for him on Wednesday. “I received a call. A man from the other end told me I was about to go home in an aircraft. I did not believe it at first and thought the man was a cyber fraud. But when the tickets came on my phone, I was elated.” More than the uncertain future that lies ahead of him, Kumar said he relished the journey, which lasted little over two hours.
Like Kumar, 179 others, including men, women and children, relished their journey to Ranchi’s Birsa Munda International Airport from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The chartered AirAsia flight, arranged by the alumni network of National School of India University in Bengaluru, touched down a little after 8:15 am.
Surendra Kumar, who worked as a mason in Mumbai, said: “The construction work having halted for two months, I had no money to eat. When I was told I am going home, I was overjoyed.” Rahul, another man who earned his living by stitching clothes, said: “I was contacted a day ago. They noted down all my details. I got to know yesterday that I will be flying back to Jharkhand. I was apprehensive after boarding the aircraft, but gradually eased out.”
Another passenger from Giridih, who arrived with his wife and a toddler son, said: “I do not know who arranged our travel. But I will thank them profusely. We were not getting food, and they came as saviors.”
Emerging out of the airport, the passengers were surprised to see buses lined up neatly to take them to their home districts. With food packets and bottles of mineral water handed to them by Ranchi district’s administrative officials, they boarded the buses.
Ranchi district officials said the passengers arrived belonged to Bokaro (5), Dhanbad (9), Deoghar (10), Jamtara (2), Godda (1), Giridih (29), Hazaribag (41), Koderma (11), Chatra (5), Garhwa (2), Palamu (9), East Singhum (3), West Singhbhum (8), Gumla (1), Simdega (28) and Ranchi (16) districts “The passengers were screened upon arrival before being sent to their home districts in buses.”
In a tweet later in the day, chief minister Hemant Soren thanked the alumni network. “I thank you for stepping forward and helping the needy. Your efforts will motivate many others to step forward to help in coming days,” Soren said.