COVID-19 Lockdown: Hundreds Of Migrants Cross Yamuna River On Foot To Reach Bihar

To reach their homes in Bihar, hundreds of migrant workers have been crossing the Yamuna river, which flows along the Uttar Pradesh-Haryana border, from Haryana on foot amid the coronavirus lockdown.

The river's water level is low in peak summer, before monsoon. The migrants are crossing the river from Yamunanagar in Haryana to reach UP's Saharanpur. From there, they are headed to Bihar.

Although 'Shramik Special' Trains are being run by the Centre, hundreds of migrant workers continue to walk home, having found no transport.

For the last few days, an estimated 2,000 migrants have crossed the river on foot at night, to avoid the heat during the daytime.

"We didn't have money, police thrashed us on the road. That's why we are crossing the river at night. I will walk till Bihar," NDTV quoted 16 old-year-old Rahul, who worked as a wage worker at a plywood factory in Yamunanagar, as saying.

24-year-old Rakesh, another migrant, said that he worked as a helper in Ambala. He was left with no money after being sacked by his employer. Even though he stayed at a shelter home in Yamunanagar, he was suffering due to lack of food.

"I decided to walk home after that," he said.

The migrants crossing the river say that most of them are hungry as they do not have much food left. There is no police deployment on the riverbank.

After being informed about the migrant movement, the Sharanpur police said that the administration will arrange transport for the migrants to reach their homes in Bihar. People from nearby villages claim that they are giving food and water to the migrants.

Many of the migrants are now staying at a shelter home in Sharanpur, 190 km from Delhi.

Also Read: Karnataka Govt To Pay For Migrant Workers Travelling Home On 'Shramik Special' Trains