NEW DELHI: A day after the violent workers’ protests erupted in Noida’s Sector-84 and adjoining areas, an uneasy calm prevailed in the area on Tuesday.
Normal operations were disrupted in the aftermath of the unrest; several industrial units remained shut—partly due to Ambedkar Jayanti and partly as a precautionary measure—while some closures were for an indefinite period of time.
Many employees expressed concern over the sudden halt in production, saying they have not received any clarity on when operations might resume. The indefinite closure has left them anxious about their financial stability, with daily wage earners being particularly affected.
Rashid, a native of Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh, shared that he had moved to Noida from Jaipur earlier this year in search of better employment opportunities.
“I work as a daily wager at a factory where we stitch sports-related items, earning about Rs 540 per day. Out of this, Rs 2,500 goes for accommodation, and I regularly send money back home to support my wife and three children. Since the unrest, we have received no communication from the factory owner about when work will restart. This silence is making things even more difficult,” he said.
Rashid mentioned that he had relocated from Jaipur nearly three months ago, hoping for more stable and better-paying work. Now, with his livelihood disrupted, he feels stranded. He does not own any agricultural land in his village, so going back is not really an option.
He added that there are 800 to 900 workers in his factory, and all of them are uncertain about their jobs. The situation has cast a deep shadow of uncertainty over the livelihoods of thousands of workers.
Another worker, Girender Kumar, employed at a shoe factory, strongly condemned the violence and said that situations like these make things harder.
“I moved to Noida just last month in search of better employment opportunities and found work at a shoe factory near Sector-84. What happened yesterday was deeply disturbing, and I strongly condemn it. Situations like these only make life harder for workers like us, who are already struggling to make ends meet,” Kumar said.