Lockdown migration: Mumbai autorickshaws crowd MP highway

Indore, May 11 () The National Highway Number 3,also called Mumbai-Agra Road that touches Indore in MadhyaPradesh through a bypass road, is seeing a steady stream ofautorickshaws from the country's commercial capital as peoplemove back to their native towns and villages amid thecoronavirus-enforced lockdown that has rendered them jobless.

Officials and eye-witnesses put the number of thesethree-wheelers from Mumbai crossing the Indore Bypass Road at50.

Mumbai has the highest number of COVID-19 cases forany city in the country and a strict lockdown since late Marchhas taken almost all autorickshaws and black-and-yellow taxisoff the roads there, leaving thousands of drivers and theirkin jobless and without adequate cash in hand.

Among them is Baleshwar Yadav (54), who is returningfrom the country's commercial capital to his native village inJharkhand's Hazaribagh, with eight people, including two womenand three children, cramming into his three-wheeler.

"I have been driving an autorickshaw in Mumbai for thepast 12 years. But everything is closed there now. I spent twomonths digging into my savings but that, too, has run out. Ihave no choice but to return to my village," he told onMonday.

Asked about the possibility of returning to Mumbai inthe near future, he replied, "Whether it is six months or ayear, I have to return because I still have to payinstallments on the bank loan with which I bought thisvehicle. Till the situation normalises in Mumbai, I willengage myself in agriculture and cattle rearing."

Ajay Yadav (36), hailing from Jaunpur district inUttar Pradesh, said he had been driving an autorickshaw inMumbai's Goregaon area for the last four years, and had leftfor his native village two days ago with a couple of friends.

"There was no food in Mumbai due to lack of work. Wewill think of returning to the city later," he said.

"Around 50 autorickshaws are passing through this roadevery hour. Most of them are from Mumbai," claimed RajkumarPatel, a volunteer at a dining stall set up by a socialorganisation on the Indore bypass road.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (Traffic) UmakantChaudhary said autorickshaws were being allowed to pass onlyafter those inside are subjected to medical screening whenthey enter the border of Madhya Pradesh.

"We have been seeing a sizeable number ofautorickshaws from Mumbai on the Indore Bypass Road over thelast one week. We have also received information that somedrivers are charging people to transport them to their nativeplaces in other states," the DySP said.

Chaudhary said CNG-fitted autorickshaws were seen inlong queues at fuel pumps on the Indore Bypass road since thenumber of pumps selling CNG on this route is less.

"On this route, CNG pumps open between 6 am and 10 pm.In view of the problems faced by autorickshaws, locals aredemanding these pumps be kept open 24 hours," Chaudhary added. HWP MAS BNMRSY RSY