More relaxations, abundance of caution: What people want in lockdown 4.0

All that Sushila Kaushalya Devi, a domestic worker from Madanpur Khadar in the national capital, wants right now is to go back to work. With her meagre savings dwindling by the day and no means of travel to C R Park where she works, Sushila is uncertain of the future.

I hope they allow autos, or at least buses to function from Monday. Then I will be able to go back to work, and also collect my salary for the last two months from some of my employers. Although I am not sure if I will be able to afford an auto if they ask for more than the usual fare, she said.

As the authorities extended the ongoing countrywide lockdown to contain COVID-19 spread till May 31, people from different walks of life hoped to get back to some semblance of what was normal while maintaining an abundance of caution against the novel coronavirus that refuses to go away.

While many of her fellow domestic workers have managed to resume work, Sushila continues to be stuck at her home in Madanpur Khadar because to reach her area of work in C R Park, she needs to travel a distance of over 12 kms, which is impossible without any public transport.

Living in this lockdown is becoming very difficult. One of my employers lent me Rs 6,000 to keep my household running, but how long can I continue like this? I just want to go back to work, she told PTI.

During the 3rd phase of the nationwide lockdown starting from May 4, the Centre had allowed some relaxations, including reopening of non-essential stores.

However, in a recent video conference with chief ministers of several states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had suggested opening of more economic activities in the country in the coming days, including resumption of some train services,