As Delhi Goes into Lockdown, Migrant Workers Crowd Anand Vihar Bus Terminal to Reach Home | Watch

As the migrant workers strived to reach their homes, they had to wait hours at the bus stop and they had no choice but to flout the COVID-19 norm of maintaining social distance. The migrant workers who could hardly afford a trip back home, were also shocked after reaching the bus terminal as they claimed of being charged 10 times more than the usual fare.

New Delhi: Hours after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a six-day lockdown in the national capital region, with effect from 10 pm on Monday night (April 19) till 5 am next Monday (April 26), hundreds of migrants workers crowded the Anand Vihar Bus Terminal to board buses for their native places. Many videos and pictures of the workers waiting for buses has erupted online and it just shows a similar scenario to the one that we saw last year when a nation-wide lockdown was announced in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the migrant workers strived to reach their homes, they had to wait hours at the bus stop and they had no choice but to flout the COVID-19 norm of maintaining social distance. The migrant workers who could hardly afford a trip back home, were also shocked after reaching the bus terminal as they claimed of being charged 10 times more than the usual fare. Speaking to news agency ANI, one of the migrant workers said, “We’re daily wagers, CM should have given us some time before announcing it. It takes us Rs 200 to reach home, but they’re charging Rs 3,000-4,000 now, how will we go home?”

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#WATCH | Delhi: A huge rush of migrant workers at Anand Vihar Bus Terminal.

Delhi Govt has imposed a 6-day lockdown beginning at 10 pm tonight. pic.twitter.com/LDFesCKiKQ

— ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2021

With heavy traffic congestion in several parts of the national capital, many migrant workers were also seen walking out of the bus station with heavy loads on their heads and shoulders. Hundreds of migrant workers, including women and children, out of exhaustion were seen laying on the ground with their heads on sacks looking numbly at the hustles of the national capital. Many migrants climbed atop buses that were leaving the bus station.

The situation was no different at the Ghaziabad border as hundreds of migrant labourers had gathered there to return home by walk. “There is no work for us and no landlord or government will help us during the lockdown. That is why we are leaving. If there is a further lockdown, we will not be able to survive,” one of the migrants said.

Another migrant, residing in Uttam Nagar and on his way to Kanpur, said, “Lockdown can be extended. Last year many walked on foot. This time also the conditions look the same. Staying here in Delhi I’m not sure about getting food and water. I will come back after everything become normal.”

Announcing the lockdown, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier in the day appealed to migrant workers to not leave the city, stressing that the restrictions will be lifted as soon as possible. “I appeal to all migrant workers to stay back. The lockdown will be in force for a brief period. I hope we won’t have to extend it. I have always opposed measures like lockdown, which cannot end Covid. It can merely slow down the spread of the infection. Over the next six days, we will beef up the medical infrastructure in the city in cooperation with the Centre,” Kejriwal had said.

(With ANI inputs)