TIRUVANNAMALAI: Stranded in a town without jobs, around 50 migrant families hailing from Maharashtra were spotted walking for nearly 95 km to cover the stretch between Villupuram and Kalampur railway station on foot. The families, comprising over 120 men, women and children, were spotted near Arani on Thursday.
Sources said the workers had arrived in Tamil Nadu in January this year in search of jobs. On February 17, they reached Villupuram for underground pipeline project work on a contractual basis. However, a sudden halt in the project left them unemployed and without wages.
Waiting for days in the hope of securing alternative work, with their savings exhausted, they had no choice but to embark on the three-day trek via Senji-Chetpet road. Carrying their meagre belongings, with children clutching onto their backs, the workers were forced to walk to Kalampur railway station from where they planned to board a train to Katpadi Raliway station.
Sources said that the workers wanted to reach Katpadi station as they had planned to board an express train to Mumbai Central. “We spent whatever little money we had, and now there is no option left for us,” said a worker. Visuals of families—including elderly people and young children—lugging their belongings have gone viral, sparking outrage on social media.