I hope to lead a normal life again: Migrant worker on Mumbai return

More migrant workers who had left for their hometowns last month in disappointment over the lack of jobs and food due to the COVID19 lockdown returned on Wednesday in the hope of working again as the city limps back to lifeClose to 100 passengers alighted from trains that arrived to Lokmanya Tilak Terminus from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday Among them was a group that had rode 1500 km on a motorbike to Ghazipur in UP just a month backmidday spoke to several migrant workers who said they returned after realising that there was no scope of getting a job in their hometown We used to work at a pharmaceutical company and lived at a Kandivli slum where the number of new Coronavirus cases was rising Our parents were scared for us so we decided to leave and as no transportation was available we set off on the journey on bike said Subhash Yadav who returned from Ghazipur along with his friends Vinay Yadav and Shubham YadavDhiraj Kumar a migrant from BiharVinay said Riding to UP was not easy Everything was shut on the way we were not getting food and faced difficulty in getting fuel But we were not the only ones on the roads Many others were also heading home on bikes and auto rickshaws We still remember those horrific days how we survived We slept wherever we felt safe some people gave us shelter and helped us reach homeMany of us are returning with hope that things will get back to normal soon Though on the journey here we were thinking what if the government announces another lockdown We are aware that cases are still rising where we are headed but we have no other option In our home town we were getting food but not jobs We cant just sit and have a meal we have to earn it said VinayDhiraj Kumar who earned R400R500 a day working as a delivery executive and stayed at Wadala before the lockdown brought his life to a standstill also returned from his home in Gaya Bihar on WednesdayForced to leave on May 9 due to unemployment Kumar has returned with the hope of resuming work as the city has reopened There was no work and we used to get only one meal a day in the last few days before I left It was very painful to leave without a single penny in hand and I walked several kilometres hiding from police and reached Bhivandi from where I took a fourwheeler and reached BiharBut the suffering didnt stop there Every day proved to be a challenge as we didnt have any money The government there didnt do anything for us and getting a job was very difficult When I learnt that trains to Mumbai had started again I immediately booked a ticket My employer also contacted me and helped me with the travel expenses I hope to lead a normal life again I know life is not going to be easy as still COVID19 cases are still on the rise but we need to earn to survive Kumar saidCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news