Cobblers and shoe-shine workers, who lived hand-to-mouth working at shops opposite the bus depot in Andheri East, now can't afford to even take a bath at the public toilet. Abandoned by the shop owners, the daily wagers said they are barely surviving on the food offered by passers-by.

It costs Rs 20 to take a bath in a nearby public bathroom and another R5 for the water," said Mintoo, who hails from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, and has been working at one of the shops in Andheri East since 2004. Earlier, they earned up to R450 making three shoes a day, but after the lockdown, the owners shut the shops and left the workers to fend for themselves with no earning.