Coronavirus update ‘How will we survive?’ Delhi’s rickshaw-pullers hit hard amid lockdown
Coronavirus update: While rickshaw-pullers in Delhi—mostly migrants from UP and Bihar—live a wretched life, the lockdown has put them in a dire situation they had never faced before and were not prepared for.
On an eerily empty street in the usually bustling Chandni Chowk market, Suresh Kumar lay curled up, unwilling to talk, on the rear seat of his cycle-rickshaw. Bhola, his friend and another rickshaw-puller, said Suresh was dejected, having failed to get any customer for the past two days.
“He has not even eaten a proper meal for almost a day. Our lives have suddenly come to a halt,” Bhola said.
Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day lockdown on Tuesday, almost three lakh rickshaw pullers face a similar fate—no income and the inability to arrange two proper meals for themselves.
Though the 21-day nationwide lockdown was announced by the PM on Tuesday, the city has been under lockdown since the Janta Curfew on Sunday. “I have not earned even ₹100 in the last three days,” said Bhola, who was a picture of despair as he narrated the tale of their miserable life under lockdown.
“I have not eaten a proper meal since Monday night. I’m not lying; I don’t know how we will survive for the next 21 days,” said Akhilesh Kumar (37), who has been riding a cycle-rickshaw for the past 12 years in the heritage market, as he fought back tears. “I have a family of four to support back home in Kanpur, but now I can’t even go home, as all trains have been cancelled and there is no bus service available.”
Before lockdown, most rickshaw-pullers used to earn ₹400 every day after paying ₹40-60 as rent for their respective cycle-rickshaws. Though there are about a lakh cycle-rickshaws registered with the three municipal corporations, according to the Federation of Rickshaw Pullers’ Association of India (FoRPI), an umbrella body of various rickshaw-pullers associations, there are close to 3-4 lakh cycle-rickshaw pullers in the city.
While rickshaw-pullers in Delhi—mostly migrants from UP and Bihar—live a wretched life, the lockdown has put them in a dire situation they had never faced before and were not prepared for. All roadside eateries, which mostly cater to rickshaw pullers and other daily wagers, are closed, making it difficult for them to buy food. “Even a cup of tea is not available,” said Sonu, a cycle-rickshaw puller.
When asked if he knew the reason for the lockdown, Sonu said, “There is some virus infection. People are dying because of it.”
Vighnesh Jha, secretary-general of FoRPI, said, “We have written to the state and the central government to ensure that those working in the informal sector are provided proper food and medicines. During the shutdown, the government should turn some stadia into a facility where these people can stay and get two meals a day.”
But a senior Delhi government official cited the practical difficulties of the proposal, considering the rules of social distancing. “However, we are providing free meals at our 200-plus shelter homes in the city. And efforts are being made to create more facility to provide food to needy people” a Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) official said.
While several rickshaw pullers know that Covid-19 (though most didn’t know the name of the disease) is contagious, they said they had no option but to step out. “I have to feed a family of five; my youngest child is just two years old. Though it is dangerous and the police will stop us, I have stepped out because even if I earn ₹50-100, I’ll be able to buy essential items,” Santosh Kumar, a rickshaw- puller in Old Delhi, said.
Most cycle-rickshaws, which ply in the otherwise busy heritage market, are parked in a row and chained together on the pavements along Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Marg opposite the Old Delhi Railway Station.
The scene is similar to the one in the markets of Karol Bagh and Lajpat Nagar as well as residential colonies across the city. But a few rickshaw-pullers cite acts of kindness of their customers that helped them tide over a tough day. “Yesterday, I had not eaten anything the entire day. An elderly man whom I had dropped home from the market gave me a packet of bread and milk. If it continues like this, I don’t know how will I manage food without any money. I also have to send money to my family back home in Begusarai, Bihar,” Upinder Saha (61), a rickshaw puller in Mayur Vihar, said.
With vegetable vendors, grocery and chemist stores allowed to operate, residents in some neighbourhood have roped in rickshaw pullers to get essential items delivered to them. Sitaram (54), who has been working for the past two decades in Mayur Vihar Phase-I, said that a few elderly people living in the housing societies have asked him to supply the essentials from the market.
“They give me a list of items to buy from the market as they are old and don’t want to step out due to fear of infection. They give me ₹50-100 per delivery,” Sitaram said.
Like him, Ajay Prakash, a rickshaw puller in the East of Kailash area, has been roped in by a local grocer for home delivery. “He has been in this area for a long time. When he called us today morning asking for work, we roped him in for home deliveries. At least he will earn something,” Saurabh, whose family owns a grocery store in Garhi village near East of Kailash, said.
Sakhachand Saini, who rents out a cycle-rickshaw in east Delhi, said that just 2-3 people have rented it from him since Sunday.
As the lockdown is due to continue for three weeks, some rickshaw pullers have started looking for alternate jobs either as vegetable vendors or hiring a cart to supply food products to local grocers.
Shyam Sunder, who until recently used to ride a cycle-rickshaw, now helps his younger brother Shambhu who owns a cycle cart and supplies fruits to street vendors in Jama Masjid area from the wholesale market. “At least, I’ll earn something now. Till situation improves, I’ll continue to work with my brother,” he said.