UP migrants reach Lko, courtesy Amitabh
LUCKNOW: It was a dream for Mohammed Islam, a native of UP who worked as a driver in Mumbai and lived in Dharavi area there, to travel in a plane.
However, efforts of megastar Amitabh Bachchan to help stuck migrants reach home fulfilled Islam’s wish as he along with 22 members reached Lucknow when a chartered flight carrying 184 migrants, including kids, from different UP districts landed at Chaudhary Charan Singh airport here on Thursday evening.
“Amitabh Bachchan is a real life hero as he has done what he promised,” an elated Islam said.
Like him, travelling in a plane was a first time experience for most of the migrants who reached here.
“I never thought about sitting in a plane in my life. Thanks to
Amitabh Bachchan. He gave me an opportunity to travel by air,” said an excited Rashida.
Ilyas, who works as a tailor in Mumbai and is a resident of Mian Ganj in Unnao, “I tried to come back by train several times but didn’t succeeded. However, Amitabh Bachchan made it possible for me to see my family members.” “I have arrived here with my family members because of Amitabh Bachchan and his team who arranged tickets for us when the train was cancelled. A lot of thanks to him,” said Gonda native Abdul Jaleel Khan who is an imam of a mosque in Bandra in Mumbai.
“Amitabh Bachchan contacted us through Haji Ali Dargah Trust. When his staff came to our residence with air tickets, I was in tears as I couldn’t believe that such a big star will take care of a common man like me,” said Mohammad Israr, a native of Prayagraj.
An emotional Adil Syed, who lives in Dharavi, said actor Sonu Sood and Amitabhji had turned messiah for UPites living in Mumbai. Amitabh Bachchan, in collaboration with Haji Ali Trust and Mahim Dargah Trust, booked a 190-seater aircraft from Mumbai to Lucknow to fulfil their promise of sending back the migrants home. On June 7, the megastar booked a train for migrant labourers stuck in Mumbai but the train was cancelled following which he promised to send them home on chartered flights. The help for the migrant labourers was named ‘Mission Milaap’.