Migrant workers start returning, admin dismisses concerns

Migrant workers in the city were seen leaving for their home towns in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar on Tuesday, after the Haryana government imposed a night curfew on Monday evening

Migrant workers in the city were seen leaving for their home towns in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar on Tuesday, after the Haryana government imposed a night curfew on Monday evening. Workers said that they were apprehensive of another lockdown due to the sudden spike in Covid-19 cases in Gurugram and are ready to return to their home towns.

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However, the district administration on Tuesday said that the number of people leaving was low and people cannot be stopped from moving from one place to another.

Yash Garg, Gurugram’s deputy commissioner, said that the administration would reassure migrant workers that there was no danger to their livelihood and they should leave the city in a panic. “There is no such information that we will announce a lockdown. So, (it is not clear) why they are getting this impression and taking extreme steps,” he said.

However, migrant workers said that their struggles following last year’s lockdown were still fresh in their memories and they want to avoid a repeat of the situation. On Tuesday, a few groups of migrant workers were spotted walking towards the railway station and bus stand after the curfew was imposed on Monday night. They were seen carrying their bags and walking holding their children.

Hasina Bibi of West Bengal, who lived in a rented room in Tikri village in Sector 48, said that her family decided to return to their home state after learning about the night curfew, as their relatives asked them to return immediately. “We packed our stuff, mainly clothes and valuables, within an hour, kept our crockery at a local’s house. We will return after we all will get vaccinated and not before that,” she said.

Another migrant, Nazrul Mandal, who returned to Jhansi on Tuesday evening, said trains are easily available now, unlike last year. “I had to walk nearly 550 miles to reach my home town and hardly got anything to eat. I hardly had any cash as my employer had not paid me for three months after the lockdown was announced,” he said.

Many domestic helps on Tuesday informed their employers that they planning to return to their village and have asked to clear their dues.

Lisha Parveen of Kolkata, who works as a domestic help on Golf Course Extension Road, said she informed all three families she used to cook for to look for a replacement. “People are extra cautious this year. I still remember how we reached home last year. It took seven days, with a change of 11 buses and a cost of more than ₹3,000. This time, it is better to pack our bags before travel restrictions are announced,” she said.