Police barricades all routes to Anand Vihar
New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Sunday barricaded all routes to Anand Vihar bus terminal sending the migrant workers back to places they have come from which has further resulted in confusion and chaos. Several workers were seen walking back the Delhi roads on foot with their families after cops either convinced or forced them to return in an attempt to stop the exodus.
"We have blocked all roads to Anand Vihar bus terminal and cleared the area. This has been done to stop people from leaving Delhi," said a senior police officer.
On Saturday, thousands of daily wagers and labourers from Delhi, Haryana and even Punjab reached Anand Vihar, Ghazipur and Ghaziabad's Lal Kuan areas after long journeys on foot in a bid to catch buses to their respective native places.
Bablu along with his family has been was living in Jaipur where he worked at a mobile repair shop. With his wife, two months old baby he left Jaipur for Moradabad.
"When we reached Gurugram and wanted to go to Anand Vihar we were sent back by the police. Now we are on foot, we want to go to Moradabad. There is no planning by the government as it has left us stranded," said Bablu's brother Mohsin.
The family alleged that even buses are charging the full fare but are leaving them half way.
"The buses have charged us full amount but left us half way. They say that police is stopping them ahead. Then we start walking on foot. It's so difficult with small children and women with us. There was no food arrangement at Anand Vihar too, which shows that all government promises are futile. We are beaten by cops too" Said Aqil another migrant worker.
On Sunday, Delhi police Commissioner SN Srivastava along with several DCPs at different locations were seen convincing migrant workers to return back to the places they have come from.
The most affected were the daily wagers since the nationwide lockdown was announced on March 24 to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic. Most of them lived in rented accommodation in Delhi and decided to leave when they were left with no work and money to buy food or pay rent. Some left on foot and others on cycles. Appeals of both Prime Minister and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind kejriwal failed to convince the migrant workers to stay and refrain from moving to their hometowns.
