TIRUCHY: Every day dozens of daily wage labourers gather at Tennur bridge near Marakkadai and wait for vehicles that are never going to show up. That is where contractors used to pick them for work, before the lockdown. Staying indoors is never an option for them as their families would go hungry if they don’t get any work. The crisis has now literally forced them to the the brink of the road. They wait for hours at the bridge in the hope of some contractor picking them up for work. However, with only a few contractors taking up construction activities, the wait goes in vain and the labourers return home empty-handed.
“There is no one to support me. People like me have no other option. We come here everyday and wait for a pickup. But, we don’t get any work, still we wait till noon. About 50 workers turn up at this place at different hours everyday,” said Chinthamani, (57), a daily labourer from Palakkarai.Aristo bridge, railway junction and Vayalur road are other pickup points where footfall has come down due to the lockdown.
“Labourers from city outskirts used to assemble at railway junction, Aristo bridge and Vayalur road. Now, they couldn’t reach there as transportation has been suspended. Those who assemble at Tennur bridge mostly come from the vicinity like Palakkarai and Marakkadai areas. What can we do by staying indoors? That is affordable only to those with sufficient financial backup. It is not viable for people like us,” said Manikandan (47), a labourer from Marakkadai.
Their plight is worsened day after day as they don’t have money even to buy essentials. “Who would offer us jobs when most of the construction activities are stalled. Recently, a police patrolling van stopped at us. A police officer asked us to return home citing that lockdown is in effect. I told him that I don’t have any money and I was out on the street only to get some work so that I can buy some essentials for my family. He didn’t reply and the patrolling van left the spot,” said Tamarai (52), a labourer from Marakkadai.
They urged the government to consider their predicament if it plans to extend the lockdown. “We can’t sustain our families with the `1,000 assistance provided by the government to each family card holder. Most of us have 4-5 members in our families. We don’t blame anyone. But we are struggling to cope with the lockdown as all the doors to our livehood has been shut. The government should conduct a survey to identify people affected by the lockdown and offer necessary assistance for them. Otherwise, we don’t see an end to our struggle even if the lockdown is lifted,” said Sudha R, a worker staying in Palakkarai.