Nearly 100 migrant workers gather at Sun City after rumours of interstate travel abound

Confusion prevailed after at least 100 migrant workers gathered at the gate of the Sun City residential colony in Sector 54, a containment zone, allegedly after

Confusion prevailed after at least 100 migrant workers gathered at the gate of the Sun City residential colony in Sector 54, a containment zone, allegedly after hearing rumours of receiving passes for returning to their respective states on Monday morning, the police said.

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According to the police, the crowd was dispersed after being told that the information regarding arrangements for their return was incorrect as the area was currently a containment zone. The police said that the migrants, who are construction workers, alleged that they were struggling to sustain themselves and wanted to return to their respective hometowns as soon as possible.

The police said the incident took place around 7.30am when a crowd began assembling at the gate of the township, which is barricaded.

Deepak Kumar, station house officer (SHO), Sector 53 police station, said, “About 100 migrant workers, who have been staying at several construction sites, gathered at the gate after they heard rumours that the lockdown was being lifted and the authorities were arranging passes for them to go to their home states. In addition to the police deployed at the gate, a team rushed to the spot and explained to them that the area was a containment zone. They were peacefully dispersed.”

On Sunday, hundreds of migrant workers had gathered at government school in village Khoh, Manesar, after hearing rumours that the administration officials were registering those who wanted to leave for their respective states.

Prashant Sharma, vice president, Sun City residents’ welfare association (RWA), said, “At least 450 labourers are staying at several construction sites in the township. A day before they received false information about being sent to their respective states in buses and they stared crowding at the gate. But no violence took place and they were soon dispersed after the police and locals explained the situation to them,” Sharma said.

Workers of Dwarka Expressway project protest

Meanwhile, on Monday, a large number of labourers, part of the Dwarka Expressway project in the city, allegedly protested at Garhi Harsaru against its contractor, demanding that they be allowed to go back to their hometowns. The labourers alleged that they had not been paid salaries for April and were struggling to make ends meet.

Shafaq, a labourer, said, “We are concerned about our safety as no one is following social distancing guidelines here. The administration should provide free bus services, so we can return to our homes. We are yet to be paid our wages for last month.”

A National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) contractor said that they had provided food to over 1,500 labourers till April 28.

RK Mishra, project director, L&T, said, “What the labourers are saying is completely false. We had made arrangement for 5,000 face masks, hand gloves and soap and provided them to the labourers. Since the lockdown began in March, we have provided them with food, lodging and medical facilities. The company will also be paying them April’s salary despite no work taking place at that time.”

There are around 1,500 labourers who are part of constructing two packages—package 3 (Haryana border to Basai railway overbridge) and package 4 (Basai railway overbridge to CPR/SPR/NH-8 junction). With construction sites being allowed to resume work with 50% of the workforce, the NHAI contractor had resumed work on April 25. A little over a week since the construction activity at the Dwarka Expressway began, work has come to a grinding halt.