When declared in March to check the spread of coronavirus, the lockdown turned everything upside down across the country.
Millions of desperate workers travelled to their native villages from cities and towns, where they were employed.
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The horrific scenes of countless migrant workers walking back to their distant villages with their toddlers and little belongings were witnessed.
The situation was so bad that both the central and state governments came under sharp criticism from various quarters.
Subsequently, the authorities had to start ‘Shramik Express’ (special trains) to ferry the migrants to their home districts. Now after five months, things have started changing.
The migrant workers are suddenly finding themselves to be much sought after people now that the steps are being taken on a war-footing to revive the d e v a stated economy. Industrial units are busy wooing the trusted migrant workers to return and resume work.
As trains are not fully operational and inter-state buses are also not running, many industrial houses are sending cars and buses to bring the migrant workers back to work.
Many of them are even sending them air tickets. A friend, who was travelling from Patna to Delhi, was surprised to see many labourers boarding flights. When he spoke to one of them, he revealed that he was going back to Delhi and all the expenses were being borne by his ‘thekedar’ (contractor).