Hundreds cross Delhi border on foot to reach homes in Uttar Pradesh

At a time of when social distancing is being repeatedly emphasised to contain the spread of coronavirus, hundreds of people on Friday crossed Delhi border on foot at Ghazipur in an effort to reach their homes in different districts of Uttar Pradesh in the wake of lockdown.

They said they were going to Lal Kuan in Ghaziabad after getting information that buses were available for their onward journey. Some of them were wearing masks while many others had tied handkerchiefs on their faces as protection against coronavirus.

"I am walking on foot from Vishwas Nagar. I want to go home but there is no transport for people like me, " said a labourer hailing from Budaun district of Uttar Pradesh.

Arun, a daily-wage earner, said he was going to his village in Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh.

"I am coming from Gurugram. I have walked 70 km on foot. There is no help from the government. I am a daily-wage earner and now I have become jobless," he said.

Rambaran Yadav, who was returning to his village in Rae Bareli, said DTC buses were plying in Delhi but they did not allow them to get in after asking for a pass. "They asked for a pass. We do not have any pass. We are forced to walk on foot," he said.

Shailendra Kumar Singh, ADM, Ghaziabad City told ANI that around 250 buses had been deployed to take the people to their homes.

"We are also doing the medical check-up of the people. We have asked the district authorities to place these people under home quarantine for 14 days after they reach their homes," he said.

He said they were giving priority to women, children and elderly and no money is being charged.

"It is challenging for us as people are gathering here in large numbers. They are coming from Delhi and Gurugram and Noida. We are also providing food. We are giving priority to women, children and old-age people. We are not charging any money from them," he said.

The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday issued a notification asking police officials and District Magistrates (DMs) to arrange food and shelter for migrant workers who are facing difficulties due to the 21-day lockdown announced to contain the spread of COVID-19.