From Mumbai to Muzaffarpur: Journey full of hardships, odds
VARANASI: Mohammad Iddu fixes punctures at a tyre shop in Mumbai. Ever since the lockdown was announced on March 24, the only thing on his mind was to reach his hometown in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar.
The distance between his place of work and his birth place is around 1,900 km. With vehicular traffic coming to a standstill he had no choice but to put up where he was.
On May 12, he, along with 54 other migrants, left Mumbai on a truck by paying Rs 4,000 per person.
“It was all my savings. We requested the truck driver to charge Rs 3,500 per passenger but he did not budge,” says Iddu who reached Varanasi border on May 15.
The truck driver dropped us at the border and we walked 10 kilometers before hiring an auto to reach our village in Ramnagar on May 16, he said.
But, home was still a distant dream. He and other migrants are quarantined in a government school in the village.
“The journey was full of odds. 55 people were stuffed in an open truck. Thanks to people providing food packets, biscuits and tea, we would have starved,” he said.
“After lockdown was announced the shop closed and we lost our work. We managed to meet our expenses for over 50 days somehow and decided to return Muzaffarpur when he had nothing,” he said while claiming:
“Only once, we were given ration kit comprising five kg rice, 1 kg dal and flour in Mumbai between March and till May 12.”
Suman Kumar, another migrant who worked at a laundry shop, narrated a similar story.
“It was an ordeal.” he said. “I have no idea what future has in store for me but I don’t think I will be going back to the city again in search of work. The shop owners and businessmen make handsome earning because we work very hard for them. But none of them even tried to give a single call to know about our well being,” he said.
ON MAY 12, HE, ALONG WITH 54 OTHER MIGRANTS, LEFT MUMBAI ON A TRUCK BY PAYING RS 4,000 PER PERSON.