The maximum day temperature in Hyderabad is around 40 degree Celsius. At this time of the year, it is suicidal to walk in the open for hours without any protection, on empty stomach, broken footwear and sometimes, with a clinging toddler. “How far is your destination?” I asked one person who was focused on the road ahead. “2,200 km”, was the reply while wiping off the sweat from his forehead. With a backpack on his shoulder, the person continued to walk on the national highway, with desperation writ large on his face.
While the rest of the country has been witnessing large-scale movement of migrant workers over the past several weeks, the crisis has just begun in Telangana. The northern side of Hyderabad opens to National Highway 44, which leads to Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and the surrounding region. Migrant workers and their families, in hordes, are reaching the Medchal area which is close to the northern border of greater Hyderabad. From here, pure luck and money comes into play. Either you get some mode of transport, trucks, goods vehicles or a free lift for some distance or just trust your feet and keep walking.
Till May 7, from the start of lockdown, there were sparse reporting of movements of migrants from different parts of the state. This was due to strict implementation of lockdown and curfew of the state government. Also, a glimmer of hope kept them stationed at one place despite the odds.
From May 8, days after the announcement of Shramik or special trains for migrants, the exodus began. Instead of trains which would have costed them nothing, hundreds are preferring to leave the state by foot.
“This is my pass,” a youngster from Madhya Pradesh said, showing it to me. Like him, many of the migrant workers I encountered on the highway had the ‘movement pass’ that is being issued by the state to take the trains back to their native state. Then why exactly are they preferring to walk? “We don’t know when our turn will come. We cannot wait any longer,” said a person from Bihar, who had a large group accompanying him.
Though the state government announced that 40 trains will ply daily, a far fewer number is operating—around 35 in the entire week, which added to the impatience of the migrants. Despite assurances by the state and the Centre, the migrants workers are in no mood to stay because of the hardships faced by them.
“My house owner has thrown out my belongings and asked me to leave. What do you expect me to do,” asked Bittu from Madhya Pradesh. He and his brother are panipuri sellers in Mahaboobnagar, 100km from Hyderabad. They could not pay their monthly rent. They said they are tired of looking for ways and means to eat every day and also feed a child in their family. “We have decided to walk till our village and have packed whatever little food we have.”
Migrant workers getting into an empty truck to go to their native state
A few kilometres away, the tired faces of a couple lit up. They were busy getting into a truck with Chhattisgarh registration number and shifting their suitcases. They walked with their three-year-old child for 40km to reach this point. When asked, they said, “The driver agreed to take us to Chhattisgarh for Rs 2,000 per person. We have no choice but to pay.” The construction workers informed that neither their contractor nor anyone from the government provided them food. “How long will we starve?”
The going rate to travel to Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh is anywhere between Rs 1,000 and Rs 3,000 per person. Scores of goods trucks that dot the highway have literally turned into commercial passenger vehicles. Dozens are herded into each of these trucks to be transported out of the state, with little regard for social distancing norms.
NGOs and activists have set up a temporary shelter on the highway because of the mass movement of the migrants. They are providing bread, water, roti and fruits to the workers.
Kiran Kumar Vissa of Rythu Swarajya Vedika, who is actively involved in the relief work related to migrants, said, “The migrant workers have gone through hell. They have literally been turned into beggars from dignified people. No promises made by state and central government had been fulfilled, including the supply of rations. The number of migrants in the state was underestimated to be 3.5 lakh. According to our estimates, there are around 25 lakh migrants. Nether their contractors nor the government could provide them food security. Since the number of trains being operated are also fewer than promised, they made their calculations and decided to leave. More number of people have gone by road than by trains from the state. They also want to be with their family because of the COVID-19 scare.”
The big question is how difficult will it be to facilitate the return of the migrants as the state gears up slowly to increases economic activity?
“It depends on destiny,” said Krishna from Uttar Pradesh, in a philosophical tone. He, along with his friend, was having food at the shelter. “I have been in Hyderabad for two years. We used to work under a tiles contractor. He is not in a position to support himself, so we do not expect much from him. I want to stay in my village and don’t think I want to come back again after the experience of last few days.”
