For migrants leaving Bengaluru, tiring walk, hunger and long wait before the train to home chugs in

Limited public transport and closure of restaurants is adding to the woes of migrant workers leaving Bengaluru amid the surging second wave of Covid-19. Many of them have to walk several kilometres to reach the railway stations to board trains home.

While the railways is running long-distance trains, travellers have been struggling for first- and last-mile connectivity. Auto-rickshaws and cabs aren’t easy to come by in many parts of the city.

On Saturday evening, Uttam Singh and six of his family, including three children, waited at the Yeshwantpur railway station to board the train to their hometown Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.

A carpenter by profession, Singh was assured by his contractor that there would not be any disruption in work until next week. He, however, chose not to stay behind. “The rising Covid cases has got me worried. Who knows what rules will be announced next week,” he said.

Read: 'Life is precious', say migrants fleeing Covid-hit cities in India

The family had to walk about four kilometres before they got an auto, and had to pay double the fare. “That’s okay. I don’t want my family to get stuck here. We’ll come back when the infections subside,” he said.

Many migrant workers have lost jobs. Sanjay Kumar and two others, all aged between 30 and 34, were asked by the owner of an automobile repair centre where they worked to go home.

“What will we do here if there is no money? We have to provide for our family back home. If we can’t do it, it is better to be with them,” Kumar said, anxiously asking if any restaurants are open nearby. “I didn’t eat in the morning,” he said.

At both Yeshwantpur and KSR Bengaluru railway stations, hundreds turned up without confirmed tickets and stayed overnight. While most of them wore masks, the congested shelter put paid to the idea of social-distancing.

Many workers used the morning window (6 am to 10 am when restrictions are eased) to travel to railway stations to board trains leaving in late evenings or nights.

Javed Khan, travelling to Uttar Pradesh, said he walked for three hours with a group of workers to reach the KSR Bengaluru station. “We were asked to come to Yeshwantpur to board the train. Our contractor had booked the tickets but we can’t afford to spend on taxi or auto. We walked for another hour to reach here,” he said.

With eateries closed, the food being distributed by NGOs is saving the day for the workers. Some said they feared being caught by the police if they stepped out of the railway station premises.