Hyderabad: Sealed borders raise migrants' fears

Rajendranagar: While borders of several States have been closed due to an exponential increase in Covid-19 cases, the worries of labourers grow further as a myriad number of unnerved workers continue to flock towards native places.

Everyday hundreds of labourers are leaving the city for their native places. Only the Katedhan area, considered one of the transit points on the city outskirts from where the labourers board buses are witnessing migration consistently with at least 100 labourers along with their families leaving the city everyday.

These journeys of a thousand miles have begun even before the imposition of night curfew in the State on April 20. On April 21, nearly 100 labourers boarded two busses for Odisha and Bihar from Amma Garden Mailardevpally. Similarly, three more tourist buses carrying labourers of different industries began the journey to Itanagar, Odisha two days ago and the migration is going on every day.

"There were around 100 labourers, individually or along with the families, boarding the buses heading to Odisha or Bihar every day from Amma Garden Mailardevpally under Rajendranagar. These labourers are mainly from Katedhan, Kothur and Shamshabad areas who are either working in industries, hotels and restaurants or complexes on the city outskirts," informed Jahangir, a driver of a tourist bus heading to Odisha frequently.

However, the worries of labourers grow further when several States bring curbs on their borders owing to a grave situation created out of the second wave of the pandemic. "Earlier, we were able to mark the journey to the endpoint. Since the last one week the local authorities are not allowing us to move inside their territories prompting us to drop the passengers on the borders on the tender mercies of the transport services of their own States," added Jahangir.

"Most of the labourers are from Odisha and West Bengal who are working in several industries from Katedhan, Shadnagar, Kothur, Gagan Pahad, Jeedimetla and Balnagar areas. As per a conservative estimation, around 500 labourers along with their families have boarded to their native's places in a week," informed Hari, one of the contractors arranging transportation for the labourers at Mailardevpally.

"Present situation seems to be very alarming and we can't afford another exodus barefoot just like last year. Already rail services have closed and only buses are shuttling between the destinations. If the situation turns volatile again and lockdown is imposed, then who will provide us with the transportation to drive back home," felt Jay Kumar, a labourer working in a city-based factory.

"We have booked the tickets online and secured our seats by Paying Rs 2,000 each for the journey. As there was a huge demand, the tourist operators demanded more taking advantage of the situation. We are afraid of the situation and hence decided to get back to our native places anyhow before the situation takes an ugly turn," said Pavan, another labourer.

"These workers are worried over the present situation and are expressing concern over their survival in the days to come due to change of events created out of the second wave of Covid-19. This has made them completely unnerved and returning back to their native places," said G Kurmaiah, secretary CITU, Rajendranagar.

Unfortunately, unlike last year the labourers are seen travelling to their hometown on their own expenses and no one from any law enforcing agencies like police and GHMC was seen guiding or arranging them the much-needed support to take up the journey.