For thousands of migrants leaving the city for want of money and food, their connection with Ludhiana is not over, as most believe they will return to their karmabhoomi once the lockdown is over.
Around 4,500 migrants boarded four Shramik Special trains from Ludhiana on Friday. These were headed to Saharsa and Sitamarhi in Bihar, Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh and Daltonganj in Jharkhand.
“Today, we are left with no work and money. Factory owners have made it clear they are not in a condition to pay salaries, while there is no regular supply of ration from the administration either. This has made it difficult for us to survive in Ludhiana,” said Nizamuddin Ansari, 28, who lived in Chhawani Mohalla and was travelling to Sitamarhi.
Ansari said he had worked in Ludhiana as a tailor in hosiery units for the past four years, but it was not the end. “I will return after spending a few months at home. Hopefully, the factories will also reopen by then,” he said.
Dinesh Yadav, 38, who lived in Sukhdev Nagar, has assured his employer that he will be back. “I have worked as a tailor in hosiery factories for 10 years. I know the business and understand that my employer cannot pay me. Therefore, I have informed my boss that I am going back home and will return when business resumes,” he said, adding that his employer had allowed him to leave.
{{/usCountry}}Dinesh Yadav, 38, who lived in Sukhdev Nagar, has assured his employer that he will be back. “I have worked as a tailor in hosiery factories for 10 years. I know the business and understand that my employer cannot pay me. Therefore, I have informed my boss that I am going back home and will return when business resumes,” he said, adding that his employer had allowed him to leave.
{{/usCountry}}There are also migrants, who want to return home, despite job opportunities. Ismail Ansari, 35, of Jeewan Nagar said he needed to go home to look after his agricultural land. I had planned to go in March, but couldn’t due to the lockdown. “I will return after handling pending work back home,” he said.
DELAYED TRAINS: MP BITTU HOLDS MEETING
Local member of Parliament chaired a meeting at the Guru Nanak Stadium on Friday to take a stock of the Shramik Special trains.
The meeting was attended by MLAs Surinder Dawar and Sanjay Talwar, mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu, Ludhiana Improvement Trust chairman Raman Balasubramaniam, deputy commissioner Pradeep Kumar Agrawal, commissioner of police Rakesh Kumar Agrawal, municipal corporation commissioner Kanwalpreet Kaur Brar and several other senior officials from various departments.
DC Agrawal shared that 11 trains had departed from Ludhiana for various states, including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh since May 5. Over 12,000 migrants had left the city on these trains.
He said the operations were being streamlined and more trains will run in the coming days.