'Walking for three days and yet miles to go before we can reach home'

Several daily wage workers and migrant labourers who had once left their homes and moved to the national capital in search of work have been taking the arduous trek back to their villages since the 21 days countrywide lockdown was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.

"I used to work for PWD in Faridabad but had to pack my bags the moment PM Modi announced countrywide lockdown in the wake of coronavirus. I have been walking for the past three days and still I have miles to go to reach my hometown Sidhauli," said Madan, one amongst a group of 15-16 who have been walking day and night with the aim to reach their homes as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Yashwant Mishra, one of the several people waiting at the Kaushambi bus stand said, "I have to go to Sultanpur but it has been hours for us waiting for a bus."

Echoing similar sentiments, Santosh Kumar said that the UP Police had even lathi-charged the people waiting at the Anand Vihar bus stand. "Earlier, I was waiting at the Anand Vihar bus stand when the police forced us to leave and now I am at the Kaushambi bus stand waiting for a bus to go to Azamgarh.