CHENNAI: Leaving behind months of waiting and memories of some dreadful lockdown days, Biswajit Manna reached the Central Station on Thursday to board a Shramik special train to West Bengal. His son had recently met with a road accident back home. Thousands like him thronged the station, three days after the intensified lockdown was withdrawn, hoping to catch a train back to native States.
While many revelled in the hopes of reaching home at last, others struggled to check their eyes from welling up thinking of troubles and responsibilities back home. For a lot them, the pandemic crisis did not hold a candle to their families’ penury. Lines of these labourers on the station premises waited for railway staff or NGO volunteers to shout out trains ready to leave for their States.
One man is jubilant while speaking to his family via a video call. Wanting Express to report his story too, he brings the phone down and introduces himself as Shubham Topwar, a garment company employee. “Since the lockdown began, I have not had three meals a day. My company manager refuses to pay what he owes me saying that anyway I am leaving the job and going back to my native,” Shubham forces a smile and goes back to the call. Seems he has not recounted his plight here to the family back home.
After a train left for Bihar, it was the turn of West Bengal natives to line up with the identity cards held high. Biswajit was elated. Days of running from pillar to post requesting a ticket back home was over for them. It was the Save Sakti Foundation that helped these labourers with the travel procedures.
Varalakshmi Sarathkumar, the Save Shakti Foundation’s founder, says it is saddening to see so many people without jobs, homes or food struggling to travel back to their home State. Varalaskhmi’s mother Chaya Devi, who is also an activist and a philanthropist, says a lot of people were involved in helping these labourers return home.
Biswajit said he was very grateful to the foundation members. "My son recently met with an accident. I was feeling helpless here. But this foundation members made arrangements for my return and I will never forget them," he added, before leaving for his home.