New Delhi/Ghaziabad: Even as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal remained focused on assuring migrant workers of his help during the week-long lockdown, while making his short address, the tens of thousands of workers who had to walk back home last year returned to Delhis railway stations and ISBTs, gathering in large crowds to go back home — triggering a deja vu of sorts at these areas of the city. As per an estimate, there were seventy to eighty thousand people gathered at the Kaushambi bus stand from various parts of Delhi, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ghaziabad to go to their hometown. Most of them were daily wage labourers and migrant workers. But even as officials were seen arranging buses from other depots for these workers, police and law enforcement gave up on enforcing Covid norms given the size of the crowds. Even the Delhi Police Commissioners message to stay put in the city and not leave fell on deaf ears as the migrant workers, afraid of an extension of the lockdown insisted on returning home. Rajesh Kumar, who works in a small unit producing electronic goods, were among those who were going back to their native places. "We are the one who was most affected by COVID 19. We came here to earn bread and butter for the family but now once again returning," he said. Many people reached the railway stations on foot and auto-rickshaws as well. Harrowing scenes of migrant workers waiting in line to board buses at the Anand Vihar ISBT were also seen. "Poor people suffer most in every worse condition," said Ajay, another labourer who was returning to his hometown in Uttar Pradesh. Most of the workers said they had lost all hope of their situation ever getting better. "See once again we are returning. We have family back in the village. How we will survive," said Mohammad Akram, who lives in the Shahdara area. A few of the workers at the Kaushambi bus depot said that this is the best time to get back to their homes as if the complete lockdown will come into force, their condition will become worse. At the bus depot, people could be seen struggling to get seats and many settled on the roof of buses as they failed to get inside the buses, even through the windows. Most were looking to board a bus to Lucknow, Bareilly, Moradabad, Badaun, Mainpuri, Gorakhpur or Bihar. Hundreds of people were also seen getting stuffed into tractor-trolleys after they failed to get a bus with no social distancing being maintained. A senior UP Roadways official told Millennium Post that crowds started arriving since 12 pm and soon became uncontrollable. A senior RPF official said they have deployed several teams at various railway stations. "We have deployed additional force and trying that social distancing norms followed. We were also telling people to wear masks," the official said. According to Delhi Police, as soon as the lockdown was announced senior officials reached various railway stations to take for taking the stock of the situation. Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava said they sympathise with the migrant labourers who in anticipation of losing jobs may be thinking of returning home. "We will ensure that you are looked after," he said. Chinmoy Biswal, PRO, Delhi Police, went on to say that they will strictly enforce the lockdown. However, many of the passengers had also booked tickets earlier and were just travelling on their tickets. As of 11:30 pm, migrant workers continued to flock to exit points of the city, this time thankful that no inter-state restrictions have been placed.

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