In Photos: Migrant Workers Across India Journey Back Home

A group of migrant workers walk to their native places amid the nationwide complete lockdown, on the NH24 near Delhi-UP border in New Delhi, Friday, March 27, 2020.

(Photo: PTI)

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a lockdown of 21 days, lakhs of migrant Indian labourers have lost their jobs.

With no earnings and nothing to eat, they have been forced to return home – hundreds of kilometres away from Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. The lockdown also means that transportation is scarce – many have no option but to walk.

This is their journey back home, in photos:

A group of daily wage laborers walk to return to their villages as the city comes under lockdown in Prayagraj, India, Friday, 27 March 2020.

A migrant worker carries his family on a bicycle on his way to his native place, during the 21-day lockdown across the country to contain the COVID-19, in New Delhi, Friday, 27 March 2020.

Migrant workers walk on railway tracks after they couldnt find any transport to return to their native places, during a 21-day nationwide lockdown to limit the spread of coronavirus, in Ghaziabad, Thursday, 26 March 2020.

A worker with a child on his shoulder walks to his village amid a nationwide complete lockdown, on the NH24 near Delhi-UP Border in Ghaziabad, Thursday, 26 March 2020.

A group of migrant workers walk to their native places amid the nationwide complete lockdown, on the NH24 near Delhi-UP border in New Delhi, Friday, 27 March 2020.

Migrant workers walk to their villages amid the nationwide complete lockdown, during a 21-day nationwide lockdown to limit the spread of coronavirus, in Ghaziabad, Thursday, 26 March 2020.

A group of migrant workers walk to their native places amid the nationwide complete lockdown, on the NH24 near Delhi-UP border in New Delhi, Friday, 27 March 2020.

Migrant workers return to their native places amid the nationwide complete lockdown, on the Gandhi Nagar in East Delhi , Thursday, 26 March 2020.

Migrants wait for a bus to their native village, during a nationwide lockdown imposed in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, in Ghaziabad, Saturday, 28 March 2020.

Migrant daily wage laborers make the journey to their respective villages on foot following a lockdown amid concern over spread of coronavirus in New Delhi, India, Friday, 27 March 2020.

Migrants board a crowded bus to their native village, during a nationwide lockdown imposed in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, in Ghaziabad, Saturday, 28 March 2020.

Migrant daily wage laborers make the journey to their respective villages on foot following a lockdown amid concern over spread of coronavirus in New Delhi, India, Friday, 27 March 2020.