Back home to Vizianagaram by walk from Rajamahendravaram

Express News Service

VISAKHAPATNAM: It took almost six days for a group of seven construction workers, walking back to their native place in Vizianagaram district from Rajamahendravaram, to reach Visakhapatnam on Friday. 

The workers, including two women, had migrated to Rajamahendravaram in search of livelihood from Poram in Mentada mandal in Vizianagaram district two months ago.

“We left Rajamahendravaram on Sunday and were not stopped by police or any official en route,” Ramu said. At many places they avoided meeting officials and police fearing that they may be quarantined. Due to increasing temperature, they walked only in the morning and took rest in the afternoon and night. “Hopefully we will reach home by Saturday morning,” Ganapati, another worker, said. 

He recalled, “After reaching Rajamahendravaram, we worked as construction workers for more than a month. The men were paid Rs 500 per day and women were paid Rs 300 per day. But after lockdown, there was no work and we found it difficult to stay there,” he said. “We ran out of ration. Though some people provided us food in the daytime, our stomachs literally growled during night.” 

Adding, another worker, Srinu, said they were paid wages for the days they had worked, he said. 
Four of us are construction workers and three masons.  

“Whatever money we had with us was exhausted. Finding it difficult to continue there we decided to go back,” he added. Yet another worker, Ramu said they stayed in a shed at Bhavanipuram and waited for three weeks, hoping that the works might resume any day. With no signs of works beginning, they began the trek back to their native place in Vizianagaram, he said.

A worker, Krishna, said many workers from Srikakulam and other areas had left for their homes last week. “As there were very few workers left in Rajamahendravaram, we also decided to go back home,” Krishna said.

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