Migrants ready to leave Noida at the earliest opportunity

Over 35 days into the lockdown to tackle the coronavirus crisis, stranded migrant workers in the district are still willing to risk their health to return to their

Over 35 days into the lockdown to tackle the coronavirus crisis, stranded migrant workers in the district are still willing to risk their health to return to their home towns.

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A three-week nationwide lockdown was first announced on March 24, later being extended up to May 3. Shortly into the lockdown, there was a rush across state borders as migrant workers scrambled for ways to reach their home towns.

Although state governments had come up with shelter homes and hunger centres for daily wagers, migrants preferred to walk hundreds of kilometres back to their homes, after public transport was discontinued.

“I got my salary this month but my husband, who used to work in a factory, has lost his job. The contractor doesn’t even bother to pick our calls. We could not survive on my salary alone and were forced to seek help from others, who were kind enough to give us enough ration for almost 10 days. We are running out again and are unsure if we would get help again. Had we gone back home, we could have lived with either of our families, which would have been preferable to our present condition,” said Rukmani, a domestic help from Ranchi who lives with her family at a shanty cluster near Sector 75.

If given a chance, the family is ready to leave the city to return home.

The district administration, on March 28, had instructed landlords not to evict tenants, especially those from low-income groups, if they were unable to pay rent.

The order, however, did not stop scared tenants from moving out.

“We used to live in Mamura earlier. We did not know that the government had made a rule about rent. We just knew that we would not be able to pay our monthly rent of ₹5,500 and so, moved to an empty plot in Chhajarsi earlier this month. I work as a security guard but I would love to send my wife and kids back home as soon as travel is allowed,” said Abbas, who moved to Gautam Budh Nagar from Deoria district.

In some cases, migrants are risking violating the lockdown guidelines to reach home and are purchasing bicycles for the purpose.

The Noida police has arrested one cycle shop owner and booked at least one other for selling cycles. The Phase-2 police booked a shop owner, after police intercepted four migrants on bicycles, on their way to Bihar this Sunday.

Also on Sunday, another person was arrested by the Sector 39 police for secretly selling a cycle from his shop in Chhalera village. Upon questioning him, they found that he had sold four cycles earlier this month, the police said.

Migrants were also caught while travelling through fields of Jewar and Dadri last month.

With no clarity about future travel, going back home is not just important from an economic perspective for some migrants, but also about being with their family.

“My parents, siblings, their families and in-laws are in Siwan. We have been in Noida for five years now. We could not go home this year for Holi, but now, we wish more than ever that we had gone. We are anyway not working and are dependent on either the government or the generosity of other people for food. Had we gone home, it would have been much easier. Even talking to them daily is not an option. Last month, an acquaintance in Sector 27 had recharged our phone. We don’t know how we will manage going forward,” said Sarita, a resident of Atta, who used to run a tea stall in Sector 18.

Officials said that migrant movement is under control at present. “The situation is nothing like what we had seen in the initial days (of the lockdown). There are a few isolated incidents where people are still trying to move to other states. Whenever such migrants are found, they are transferred to shelter homes after explaining the rules and possible solutions to their problems, such as food or medical services. However, if anyone tries to violate guidelines despite warnings, we can take legal action against them,” said Kumar Ranvijay Singh, additional deputy commissioner of police.

Violators can be booked under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code, the police said.