No work, no pay, migrant workers head home

GURUGRAM: Following the lockdown of Gurugram, hordes of the city’s factory workers and daily wagers lined the DelhiGurgaon Expressway with their baggage looking for transport to their hometowns in neighbouring districts of Gurugram and other places in neighbouring states.

With no public transport available, they were waiting at Shankar Chowk, Iffco Chowk, Rajiv Chowk and MG Road for cabs and other vehicles to give them a lift to Delhi.

Most of the workers said that they are staring at a jobless future in the short term, due to complete shutdown of factories, offices and malls, and are returning to their hometowns to earn their daily bread.

Representatives of garment industry units based in the city said that around 7,000 to 8,000 workers were asked to return on Monday morning, when they reported for work, as manufacturing has been suspended until March 31.

A majority of the workers moving towards Delhi hailed from Meerut, Bijnore, Bulandshahr, Pilukhwa, Hapur and other areas of western Uttar Pradesh, while groups from Rewari, Narnaul, Alwar and Dharuhera, in Haryana, were also looking for transport to return to their native villages, after running out of work.

Mohd Harun, of Hapur in Uttar Pradesh, who works as a welder, said that the workers are apprehensive over a long lockdown.

“There is no work available, as house owners have stopped welding works. I am going home and will return only after the situation improves,” he said, walking towards Delhi.

Besides the daily wagers and workers, those holding steady jobs were also spotted exiting the city.

At Shankar Chowk, Imran, who is a civil engineer for a large realty project in Udyog Vihar, said he is waiting for a cab to return to his hometown in of Pilkhuwa in Uttar Pradesh.

He said it is better to return home as work had stopped at the site and he could face problems getting food and essential items. “I have been waiting for almost an hour for a vehicle. If I don’t find one, I will return to my room,” he said.

However, Imran conceded that there is a possibility of remaining in Gurugram as food is being provided for the workers and staff employed in the project.

Wasim, a resident of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, who works as a daily wage labourer, said that there is no option of staying in the city and that he and his friends would walk back to their village if the need arises. “What are we going to eat? We work and earn on a day-to-day basis. The work has stopped and it would not be wise for daily wagers to stay here any longer,” he said.

Officials of the Gurugram police, which had set up a checkpoint on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway at Shankar Chowk, said they are allowing only vehicles ferrying essential items and goods to go towards Delhi.

“Cabs and other vehicles are

There is no work available, as house owners have stopped welding work. I am going home to Hapur, and will return only after the situation improves. MOHD HARUN, welder

not being allowed to operate and people are being discouraged from needless travel,” a police official on duty, who asked not to be named, said on Monday.

Ranbir, a resident of Narnaul, who had come from Nagpur and was walking towards Iffco Chowk, said that the lack of public transport is causing problems for the people as they are not being able to go home. “What about people who were out for some work?” he said.

A large number of industrial workers, including those working in garment units, had to stay home on Monday as a majority of automobile, garments and other manufacturing units shut.

Praveen Yadav, president, Gurugram Udyog association, said, “We had sent an SMS to most of our workers but that did not deter many workers from coming to work on Monday. All factory units had put locks on their main doors, forcing the workers to go home.”

Those running manufacturing units assured workers that their salaries wouldn’t be cut and they need not worry about not being paid, up the period of March 31.

“We are abiding by what the state government said on Sunday. All workers will be paid and their salary won’t be cut,” said Yadav.

What are we going to eat? We work and earn on a day-to-day basis. The work has stopped and it would not be wise for daily-wage workers to stay here any longer.

WASIM, daily-wage labourer