India’s Lockdown Sparks Mass Migration

Left suddenly jobless, migrant workers in Delhi stand in a socially distanced line for food provisions. (Wikimedia Commons)

Millions of migrant workers in India have been left in fear, anger, and frustration after the government announced a 21-day lockdown on March 23 in an effort to firmly check the spread of COVID-19, according to BBC.

All passenger trains halted service at midnight on March 23, and only essential services are exempt from the shutdown.

As a consequence, the Hindu reports that hundreds of thousands of migrant workers have lost their jobs and homes, with local night shelters filling up and supplies running out quickly.

The 2011 census reports that the state of Maharashtra, which lies along India’s western coast, houses the most migrants in the country, approximately 2.3 million, although seasonal migration causes this number to fluctuate.

In Maharashtra’s capital, Mumbai, the peak season for construction workers lasts from March to May, with monsoon season putting a stop to most construction activity. The lockdown has left many such workers suddenly jobless at this crucial time.

When the lockdown was first announced, some migrants were able to board buses to travel from the cities to their home villages, according to Reuters.

With public transportation now suspended, however, thousands of migrants must walk on foot for days. Inter-state border closings have stranded many others.

In Delhi and other areas, local authorities, companies, and charities have responded by providing stranded migrants and the homeless with free meals twice a day, the Week reports, yet some civic organizations have reported being overwhelmed by the sheer number of those needing aid.

Speaking about his organization, Sadrul Sheikh said, “We have managed to give ration to only 1,200 people. This is a fraction of the number of people who need help at the moment.”

On March 26, Financial Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a $22.6 billion financial package that aims to alleviate the pandemic’s economic impact on the poor, reports Bloomberg. She said that the plan will include cash transfers as well as measures to ensure food security, but some economists, including Swaminathan Aiyar of the Economic Times, have questioned whether the plan is sufficient.

In addition to facing the challenges of mass migration, India’s migrant workers are also at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and other communicable diseases. As people crowd streets, shelters, and food distribution points, social distancing becomes nearly impossible. Some people cannot afford to buy soap or do not have access to running water.

Giridhar Babu, an epidemiology professor, said that in spite of the lockdown contributing to health risks among poor communities, “more of these people would have died” had there been no lockdown due to these communities lacking access to high-quality medical care. He said, “I still think we have achieved greater benefits for the entire community.”