Lockdown effect: Migrant workers, others head home in Mangaluru, Udupi


Pics: Spoorthi Ullal/Justin D’Silva

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru/Udupi (SP/MS/JD)

Mangaluru/Udupi, Apr 27: In a knee jerk reaction to the announcement of lockdown in the state for two weeks, the migrant workers have started migrating back to their villages in a big way. The workers have started to return to their home districts from cities like Mangaluru and Udupi.

The chief minister who held the cabinet meeting on Monday in the backdrop of rising COVID19 cases, announced tough steps in the state for the next 14 days beginning April 27 night. As soon as the television channels beamed the news, the exodus of the worried workers started. Bus stands were soon flooded by the migrant workers vying to go back home.


Mangaluru


Udupi

In the afternoon of Monday, the government bus stand at Mangaluru was found abuzz with migrant workers. Their faces reflected anxiety about the future. Men and women with small babies in their arms, children by their sides and bundles of belongings wrapped in clothes on their heads could be seen running around in search of the buses to their native places. The workers are apprehensive as the previous lockdown has left a bitter taste in their lives as problems like no work, no pay, no food, had frustrated them.

At the same time, people of coastal Karnataka origin working elsewhere in the state including Bengaluru are rushing to their villages. Encashing their predicament, private bus operators have doubled their fares. The bus fare which usually was around Rs 600 one way between Bengaluru and Mangaluru, was nearly trebled to Rs 1,600 on Monday. The fare between Bengaluru and Kundapur, which was about Rs 900 in normal course, was doubled on Monday to Rs 1,800. Passengers also said that prices were jacked up similarly in certain buses without rhyme or reason.

Like the private buses, KSRTC special buses run to handle the rush, too charged more for the passengers. The number of night buses travelling between Bengaluru and coastal Karnataka almost doubled on Monday. Many had to hire other vehicles to reach their homes as bus rates were high. On Tuesday, more people are expected to reach the coast.

Udupi

As lockdown is declared from April 28 for 14 days hundreds of labourers and students are going back to their native places. The KSRTC bus stand is brimming with people in Udupi. 

Additional bus services are provided for Hubballi, Bengaluru and Mysuru. Private bus operators are also running special day service buses to these places in order to ferry the passengers who want to reach their native place before the lock down begins.

Very less passengers are travelling to Bengaluru. The natives of Udupi, who had left from other places of Karnataka on Monday, have also reached the city on the morning of Tuesday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

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Comment on this article

  • Rudolf Rodrigues, Mumbai

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    Most of them are casual laborers or those from the informal sector! Unlike big organizations, the employers who themselves are in financial straits cannot afford to take care of them for such a long time, so what decision they have taken is right; at least they will feel safe & secure in their own houses & manage somehow! Moreover, most businesses have closed down or running on ventilators, hardly able to pay the salaries on time! I wonder how many of them have gotten their up-to-date salaries because of the short notice! Empathize on their condition!

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Mera Desh, Bharat

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    What an irony of this country from May-June 2014... until today........people/citizens of our country dying without "OXIGEN"

    DisAgree [8] Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse

  • Dam, Mangalore

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    From Bangalore and Mangalore people going to their home towns.. their is chance of spread virus all over the state... This govt. Is really brainless.. lockdown creates problems ... Not solution...

    DisAgree [3] Agree [19] Reply Report Abuse

  • A.M. Belma, Mangalore

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    This migrant worker issues will go on for 2-3 weeks with all related services in place working overtime. Net net , I think Lockdown will be only 25%.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Praveen, Kasargod

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    "ಎಪ್ಪತ್ತು ವರ್ಷಗಳ ಪರಿಶ್ರಮ, ಏಳು ವರ್ಷಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ನೆಲಸಮ"

    DisAgree [11] Agree [37] Reply Report Abuse

  • Mera Desh, Bharat

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    The whole "I N D I A" in front of the entire W O R L D & they all say now is "अंधेर नागरी और बड़ा अनपढ़ चौपट राजा ".

    DisAgree [7] Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • Hindustani, Damaskatte

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    Whole of countries in european state are in desperate state when pandemic is in it's peak period and unable to control the state. India is equal to all european countries controlled in good way without much trouble. We should appreciate our government for same...inspite our infrastructure was not good. Even we airlifted vaccines to many countries for which WHO applauded the most. Jai Ho Modiji..

    DisAgree [52] Agree [15] Reply Report Abuse

  • Cynthia, Kirem

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    WHO is 100 percent feku whole world knows except you....So, we dont need WHO's certificate...Jai हिन्दुस्तान....

    DisAgree [4] Agree [19] Reply Report Abuse

  • Prabhu, Karkala

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    Cynthia, we know. Everyone is fake, except you.

    DisAgree [18] Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • Subhash Chandra, Mangalore

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    @ Hindustani Damaskatte - a country which has nuclear weapons & space program could not fix health infrastructure now out sourcing 02 plants from West.. your leader should be removed from PM post for man handling the crisis. Govt is rich but people are poor. thali bajao ganta bajao

    DisAgree [2] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • Evans C Sumitra, Udupi/New York, USA.

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    Nayan, Udupi, It is the choice of the Gulf returnees to decide. But it seems you are one of them if I am not mistaken.

    DisAgree [8] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Nayan, Udupi

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    Yes. I already joined as supervisor at construction site near Bajpe.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • Babu, Mulki

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    Evans, there are some vacancy for loaders.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [15] Reply Report Abuse

  • Abdul, Udupi

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    Evans, even we have some vacancy for cleaners, if you are interested.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [13] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ramesh, Udupi

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    If you look at the economy, GDP, jobs and current COVID trend even MP Nalin Kumar as PM would have done better job than Chaiwala PM.

    DisAgree [9] Agree [13] Reply Report Abuse

  • soni, USA

    Wed, Apr 28 2021

    first make sure u have any manners or discipline in LIFE.

    DisAgree [1] Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Kiran Dsouza, Bangalore

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    People are responsible for the rise of COVID cases as nobody is following the guidelines. There needs to be a strict "descipline" subject should be taught from Class I till higher studies. We are lacking descipline. If anyone maintains distance of 2 feet, people will try to fill the gap thinking this gap is for them. Blaming government for each & everything is also our habbit.

    DisAgree [6] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Joel, Mangalore

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    I urge our honourable CM to give Nayan, Udupi. toilet cleaning job at service bus stand

    DisAgree [5] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ramesh, Udupi

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    BJP govt ruined this beautiful nation. They are worried about only Adani Ambani.

    DisAgree [19] Agree [62] Reply Report Abuse

  • Prabhu, Karkala

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    Actually our country lost 70 precious years.

    DisAgree [13] Agree [22] Reply Report Abuse

  • Cynthia, Kirem

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    Prabhuji, dont be hurted 😔 and keep crying for the days we lost in 70 years. Now, be happy because, we have gained back what we lost in 70 years....Live the present and forget the past. By the way, thank you for your compliments....Keep complimenting...You have a big heart ❤

    DisAgree [1] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Evans C Sumitra, Udupi/New York, USA.

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    Ramesh, Udupi, There is no doubt about it.

    DisAgree [15] Agree [19] Reply Report Abuse

  • Nayan, Udupi

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    Now Gulf returnees should grab this opportunity. And take up the work of construction, loading, cleaning.

    DisAgree [59] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • manoj b, Mangalore

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    @ Nayan what abt you your welcome to join as well

    DisAgree [2] Agree [14] Reply Report Abuse

  • sense_Shetty, Mangalore

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    Better the Locals itself can take up this work .

    DisAgree [1] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • Prakash, Mlore

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    Just make mask compulsory, seems like there is no other solution rather than praying.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [25] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Tue, Apr 27 2021

    Thousands of Migrant Workers died on the way home in 2020 because of Unplanned Lockdown ...

    DisAgree [8] Agree [51] Reply Report Abuse


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