A year later, migrants in Gujarat, Delhi head back home once again

Migrants, with kids, walk on a road as they wait for transportation to go back to their hometowns in Allahabad on May 24, 2020. Pic/AFP

Fearing another lockdown in the wake of a sudden spike in cases, migrant workers and their families in Gujarat and New Delhi have started leaving for their hometown states.

In Gujarat, migration was seen in Surat and Ahmedabad, two of the state's most severely affected cities. However, government officials on Thursday claimed the number of those leaving was very low and people can't be stopped from moving from one place to another.

In Ahmedabad, a number of migrant workers, mostly hailing from UP and Bihar, have been rushing to the city's main Kalupur railway station to travel to their native places, said Yogesh Mishra, member of the Zonal Rail Users Consultative Committee. The migrants fear they would be stuck here if the government imposes another lockdown, Mishra said, adding that the waiting list for reserved seats in trains is also increasing with each passing day.

‘Lockdown very likely'

Speaking to ANI, Pintu, a dry fruits seller, said, "Delhi is witnessing a sharp rise in cases. A night curfew has been imposed. It is very likely that the government will impose a lockdown soon. SO, we are going back to Jharkhand."

Parmila Devi, a tea seller, said, "We want to avoid a situation like the previous lockdown. It is very likely that a lockdown will be imposed. We will come back when the situation normalises."

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