Dashrath Verma, 28, came to Navi Mumbai five months ago hoping for a steady income to support his ageing parents in Uttar Pradesh. After lockdown, Verma too lost his job at a garment workshop.
Verma, his wife and two children aged four and five, his brother’s family and his uncles with their families decided to leave for their hometown.
Twenty of them started the 1,400-km journey in a tempo from Digha in Navi Mumbai on Sunday after undergoing a screening test.
While there are talks among migrants about truck drivers charging anything between Rs2,000 and Rs4,000 to go to northern states, Verma said one of their relatives arranged for a tempo for free.
“We carried food and water for the journey. We are not accepting water and food from roadside volunteers. It will be useful for those who need it more than us. We are rationing our food and stopping at hotels near highways to fill water,” said Verma over phone.
He said they came across many people walking on the highway but cannot take them along.
{{/usCountry}}He said they came across many people walking on the highway but cannot take them along.
{{/usCountry}}“We cannot help people even when we want to. After we reach home, we will get another test done,” said Verma, adding that they had no problems crossing police check posts.
“The police can see our plight. It is better to be with our families rather than dying in a faraway place,” he added.
On Tuesday morning, the group had reached the Madhya Pradesh border and is likely to reach Pratapgarh by Wednesday morning.