Kumar approaches a dhaba on the highway to buy food for himself and his friends. The group had walked over 50 km that day without any food. Having paid R4,000 each for the trip, the group has run out of cash. A plate of vegetable for R70 and chapattis at R15 each are too costly. So the group of around eight huddles near the dhaba and shares a half-kg packet of namkeen.

"Food has become unaffordable. Our only aim is to reach home now," Kumar said.