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Lockdown tale of Uttarakhand driver: 40 days in a truck and now 14 days in quarantine
Forty-seven days after he began his journey, Sunil Kumar reached Champawat on Saturday. Kumar, a resident of Munch area of Champawat, has been driving a truck while based in Delhi for the past six years.
A driver from Uttarakhand spent 40 days in his truck near the border with Rajasthan amid the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown, before he reached his home district of Champawat, where he has been isolated for 14 days by local authorities.
Forty-seven days after he began his journey, Sunil Kumar reached Champawat on Saturday. Kumar, a resident of Munch area of Champawat, has been driving a truck while based in Delhi for the past six years.
According to Kumar, he was stuck due to the lockdown and spent 40 days in his truck near the border with Rajasthan.
“I left for Hyderabad from Delhi on March 22. I reached Shahpura area near the Delhi-Rajasthan border on March 23, and I was stranded there due to the lockdown,” he said.
“Rajasthan Police didn’t allow me to proceed and Delhi Police didn’t allow me to go back. So there was no way to go anywhere. I decided to wait in the truck. I had a stove and rations for a few days and I cooked food inside the truck. Later I bought food from a nearby grocery shop,” he said.
Kumar added, “It was a very difficult time, waiting day in and day out. Sometimes, the difference between days and nights didn’t seem to matter. I would spend my nights counting the stars. I was hoping the lockdown would end on April 24, and then I would be able to go home or to Hyderabad. But the lockdown was extended and my difficulties continued.”
He faced many problems while living in the truck – he wasn’t able to charge his mobile phone after some time and couldn’t remain in touch with his family.
“Weird thoughts would cross my mind. I missed my family, especially my pregnant wife. There were times when I thought whether I would ever reach my home,” Kumar said.
When the lockdown was relaxed and commercial vehicles were allowed to ply on May 3, he moved out and reached Delhi two days later.
“In Delhi, l left my truck at my transport agency’s office. I registered to return on my state government’s website. My health screening was done and I boarded a bus for Uttarakhand. With the help of authorities from my state, I finally reached Champawat on the morning of May 9,” he said.
“The local authorities quarantined me in a shelter and took my samples for the coronavirus test. When my report came negative on Sunday, they sent me for home quarantine for 14 days.”
Kumar said he was happy to be finally home. “Now I will go to Delhi only after my wife delivers the baby. Sometimes in my sleep, I still feel I am in the truck,” he said.
