Photos: Back at work to serve India in a pandemic

Beginning May 4, India eased restrictions to revive the economy, which could be heading for its first full-year contraction in more than four decades. Househelps, plumbers, electricians, car washers, carpenters and other standalone workers started making their way back to work in order to earn a livelihood at a time that has hit them the most financially. A government order issued on May 2 said movement of persons for non-essential activities would be strictly prohibited between 7pm and 7am across the country, thus leaving a window of opportunity open for workers to resume their services.

Updated on: May 11, 2020 5:34 PM IST

News

Share via

• 
• 
• 
• 

Copy link

• 

1/18

View Photos in a new improved layout

Updated on May 11, 2020 5:34 PM

Shutika Dhwade, 40, works as a domestic help, in Vile Parle, Mumbai, India. Following the order by the MHA on May 2 that eased certain restrictions on standalone workers, she resumed work on May 4. (Satish Bate / HT Photo)

2/18

View Photos in a new improved layout

Updated on May 11, 2020 5:34 PM

Mukesh, a construction worker, pulls a cycle cart laden with bricks along a flyover, in New Delhi, India, on Tuesday, May 5. From Bihar, he has been living on the construction site along with his family during the lockdown. (Sanchit Khanna / HT PHOTO)

3/18

View Photos in a new improved layout

Updated on May 11, 2020 5:34 PM

Ramesh, 48, a private security guard from Bihar, now works and lives in an apartment complex in Arjun Nagar, New Delhi. (Amal KS / HT PHOTO)

4/18

View Photos in a new improved layout

Updated on May 11, 2020 5:34 PM

Ritesh Kumar, 23, is a construction worker living in Jammu since 2018. He is originally from Bihar and has been living off his savings since the lockdown was imposed. He finally ventured out for work after May 4. (Nitin Kanotra / HT Photo )

5/18

View Photos in a new improved layout

Updated on May 11, 2020 5:34 PM

Sudhir Kumar, 36, an electrician, at his store in Krishna Nagar, New Delhi, India, on May 5. (Sonu Mehta / HT PHOTO)

6/18

View Photos in a new improved layout

Updated on May 11, 2020 5:34 PM

Jagjeewan Ram, 42, seen here in PPE overalls, works as a security guard in an office in Nehru Place. From Uttarakhand originally, he resumed work on May 4. (Burhaan Kinu / HT PHOTO)

7/18

View Photos in a new improved layout

Updated on May 11, 2020 5:34 PM

Pooja, 42, resumed work as a domestic house help in SAS Nagar, Mohali, Punjab on May 4. (Gurminder Singh / HT Photo )

8/18

View Photos in a new improved layout

Updated on May 11, 2020 5:34 PM

Ravinder Kumar Yadav, 24, a construction worker, in Sector 40 near Huda market, Gurugram, on May 6. The MHA order on May 2 said that construction activities in urban areas are restricted to sites where workers are not needed to be brought from outside, and to renewable energy projects. (Parveen Kumar / HT Photo )

9/18

View Photos in a new improved layout

Updated on May 11, 2020 5:34 PM

Prayag Singh, a cycle repair mechanic in Sector 18, Chandigarh on May 6. (Keshav Singh / HT Photo )

10/18

View Photos in a new improved layout

Updated on May 11, 2020 5:34 PM

Mithlesh Kumar, 20, working at a construction site in New Chandigarh, India on May 6. A native of Kash Nagar in Bihar, Kumar earned 8,000 rupees in March and April. He has been walking to his workplace since the restrictions eased. (Anil Dayal / HT Photo )

11/18

View Photos in a new improved layout

Updated on May 11, 2020 5:34 PM

Raju Das, 47, an employee of Larsen & Toubro (L&T) at a construction site in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi on May 5. Das is a native of Katihar district in Bihar and has been living in Delhi since about two years. He lives in a dormitory provided by the company. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT PHOTO)

12/18

View Photos in a new improved layout

Updated on May 11, 2020 5:34 PM

Babbu, 36, resumed his car washing work in SAS Nagar, Mohali on May 4. (Gurminder Singh / HT Photo)

13/18

View Photos in a new improved layout

Updated on May 11, 2020 5:34 PM

Devashish Mandal, 35, resumed work as a car cleaner in Sector 47, Gurugram on May 4. He is a native of Samaspur village and said he’d earned 14,000 rupees in the last two months. (Sanjeev Verma / HT PHOTO)

14/18

View Photos in a new improved layout

Updated on May 11, 2020 5:34 PM

Sanjay Kanawade, 45, resumed work after nearly two months in Vile Parle, Mumbai on May 4. (Satish Bate / HT Photo)

15/18

View Photos in a new improved layout

Updated on May 11, 2020 5:34 PM

Mitthoo, 30, a domestic worker, poses for a photograph with her cycle in Sector 47, Gurugram on May 6. She has earned 10,000 rupees during the lockdown, which is half of what she usually earns in a month, she told HT. (Sanjeev Verma / HT PHOTO)

16/18

View Photos in a new improved layout

Updated on May 11, 2020 5:34 PM

Raj Kumar, 40, a cycle rickshaw rider in Gurugram onMay 6. Kumar is a native of Aligarh and lives in Amar Colony with his family. (Parveen Kumar / HT Photo)

17/18

View Photos in a new improved layout

Updated on May 11, 2020 5:34 PM

Rizwan, 22, resumed work as a carpenter in Zirakpur on May 4. A resident of Dera Bassi, Rizwan had not earned a penny during the lockdown. His monthly earning before the lockdown was around 15,000 rupees, as told to HT. (Sushil Prajapati / HT Photo)

18/18

View Photos in a new improved layout

Updated on May 11, 2020 5:34 PM

Prakash Kumar, 35, resumed work as a construction worker in Noida on May 4. A native of Jharkhand, he has been queuing at food distribution centres after his earnings depleted when the lockdown was put in place. (Sunil Ghosh / HT Photo)