Walking home: Who they are, why they are leaving
Updated: March 30, 2020 6:04:15 am Madhuri works at a nut bolt factory in Ludhiana. Madhuri, 25 Family members: 4 Profession: Working at a nut bolt factory in Ludhiana Earning: Rs 6,000 a month; Headed towards: Sitapur, UP Why She left: “I...


Madhuri, 25
Family members: 4
Profession: Working at a nut bolt factory in Ludhiana
Earning: Rs 6,000 a month; Headed towards: Sitapur, UP
Why She left: “I came to Ludhiana just three months ago, but now with the lockdown I have no option but to go back to Sitapur, hoping to stay there three months.”

Roshan Kumar, 25
Family members: 8
Profession: Carpenter in Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh
Earning: Rs 10,000 per month; Headed towards: Saharanpur, UP
Why he left: “The shop has been closed for the last 10 days. No work means no pay.”

Roshan Kumar, 22
Family members: 6
Profession: Works at a factory in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh
Earning: Rs 10,000 per month; Headed towards: Bihar
Why he left: “The factory will be closed for three months. The manager promised to pay next month salary in my bank account.”

Aajam, 27
Family members: 5
Profession: Labourer in flyover construction in Ludhiana
Earning: Rs 500 per day; Headed towards: Gajraula, UP
Why he left: “Have gotten no work since March 22, so I haven’t earned anything for the past 8 days.”
Reporting & Photos by Gurmeet Singh & Kamleshwar Singh