All Pics Clicked by Sandeep Gurghate
Nagpur: Yes, you read it right! They are more of majboor (helpless) than being named as pravasi majdoors (migrant labourers). The scene around the city is full of gloom plus men and their families in distress, wandering hungry and thirsty, never knowing when their trail of agony will finally end. The silence of highways are broken with the screams and cries of young ones while the men and women folks keep walking, holding the little ones, day in and day out, in extreme summer heat of May.
Whether the financial package help these helpless, is the question of future. Their present is nothing short of pandemic that came as a bolt from blue hitting their livelihood and out to devastate their very existence. Now these labourers are struggling to find routes back to their roots but finding no means to go. Helplessly, they are taking hitch rides on whatever they are chancing upon on their way to home which seems to be far, far away. And if nothing comes to help, they keep on walking with a will to touch their destination any how.
Hordes of labourers are gathering everyday at Panjri naka and ST Stand at Ganeshpeth in Nagpur to check if they are lucky to board a bus with their families. Finding it hard to move through and frustrated over long wait, patience is bound to loose with empty pockets and stomach too. Moreover thirsty throats too are making it difficult to cope up. But they are determined! Determined to go home and adamant not to return back as long as they can.
Now the big question is – Will any stimulus package boost the economy and growth without the contribution of labourers? Will any infra project, government or private will find its way back on track without these hands?
Will these folks return to contribute in building the nation at grass root level? This remains to be seen later. Till then, the journey of agony continues….
