Thousands of migrant labourers thronged Delhi’s Anand Vihar bus terminal on Saturday, 28 March, to catch buses to return to their hometowns and villages, amid a nationwide 21-day lockdown to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Earlier, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appealed to migrant workers leaving the national capital to stay back, even as he said that his government has arranged for buses to transport them.
“The governments of UP and Delhi have arranged buses. Still, I appeal all to remain where they are. We have made arrangements for stay and food. Please stay at home. Do not go back to your village, otherwise the objective of the lockdown will fail,” Kejriwal said in a Hindi tweet.
100 Buses to Ply Out of Delhi With Migrant Workers
Deputy CM Manish Sisodia also made a similar appeal, while stating that the Delhi government has deployed 100 buses for people attempting to walk home from the city. Meanwhile, large numbers of migrants workers from north India were seen crowding bus terminals.
A Delhi Transport department officer said buses were deployed after a large number of people started walking to their home states. The DTC and cluster buses will drop them at points along the border with UP where buses from that state will carry them ahead, he added.
"100 buses of Delhi government and nearly 200 buses of UP government are transporting people trying to leave Delhi on foot. Yet I appeal all to follow the lockdown. It's a solution to control the effect of coronavirus. There is threat of coronavirus on venturing out," Sisodia tweeted.
A large number of people, including women, elderly and children, from various states like UP and Bihar have started leaving Delhi and other neighbouring cities as factories, hotels, shops and other establishments have closed due to the 21-day nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Delhi Social Welfare Minister Rajender Pal Gautam also appealed those leaving Delhi to stay, saying the government will use school buildings as night shelters for them.
The Delhi government has started providing free food to nearly four lakh poverty-stricken and needy people at 224 night shelters and 325 schools.
However, there was no concrete plan for the thousands of migrant workers, labourers and daily wage earners in the city who have lost their jobs and livelihoods due to the lockdown.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)