New Delhi, Mar 27 :
As has been reported from different parts of the country since the nationwide lockdown was imposed, the construction workers in Noida and Greater Noida of Uttar Pradesh are also facing a similar plight, as most of them appeared to have been denied their dues by contractors and are left with no option but to walk back to respective natives places as far as 300 km to 500 km.
Kamlesh, a 42-year-old construction worker in Greater Noida, told The Tribune that he and several others like him were engaged by a contractor, who lives in nearby Ghaziabad’s Vijaynagar, on weekly wage payment basis. “But we did not get our wage for the last week. For two days we all waited for the contractor to pay us, so that we could go back to our villages,” he said.
Claiming that now since they are left with no money and nothing to eat, Kamlesh said, “I along with my brother Rajesh and nephew Chhotu have decided to walk back to our village – Barsoia in Hardoi district of Uttar Pradesh.”
When asked if they could walk for 385 km from Greater Noida, Rajesh said, “We have no option but to go back at any cost. Hopefully, on the way, as we have heard, we may get some support from the police and government.”
Similarly, a group of 16 people comprising women and children of three families, have also started walking from Greater Noida to go to Jhansi, Bundelkhand of Uttar Pradesh, which is 370 km away. They also worked at one of the construction sites. Kamlesh said, “We all work together and live together here. So now we have decided to start our journey together at least till Etawah and then we will branch out for our respective destinations.”
Shivnath of Bachaoli Khurd village of Jhansi said, “We are also going back, as there is no work here and our contractor is not paying us our dues. My old mother and father, who live in the village, are asking us to come back at any cost.” Since buses and other modes of transport are not available, we have decided to walk back home,” he said.
Meanwhile, amid reports of workers leaving the district on foot, the Gautam Buddh Nagar (comprising of Noida and Greater Noida) administration provided government transportation to over 600 stranded people on Friday to help them reach home during the lockdown, officials in the city administration said, adding that over a dozen UP state transport buses were arranged and the people, mostly migrant workers, including women and children, were picked up from the Yamuna Expressway between midnight and 3 am.
Several labourers and migrant workers hailing from Bihar and places in interior Uttar Pradesh such as Etawah, Auraiya, Kanpur, Aligarh, Gorakhpur, Azamgarh had started off on foot for their homes, the officials said, adding that food packets were also arranged for them.
