Covid-19: The exodus of migrant labourers
ADVERTISEMENT
Migrant labourers, who are out of work because of the lockdown enforced to check the spread of Covid-19, are returning to their native villages in the thousands—mostly on foot.
Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called for a 21-day lockdown in view of the rising number of infections from the novel Coronavirus. The number of cases at last count on Sunday was 979 cases; the death toll stood at 25.
With the lockdown bringing to a halt almost all economic activity, life has become particularly hard for migrant labourers, mostly daily-wagers employed in construction and other informal sectors.
January 2026
Netflix, which has been in India for a decade, has successfully struck a balance between high-class premium content and pricing that attracts a range of customers. Find out how the U.S. streaming giant evolved in India, plus an exclusive interview with CEO Ted Sarandos. Also read about the Best Investments for 2026, and how rising growth and easing inflation will come in handy for finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman as she prepares Budget 2026.
A deserted petrol station in New Delhi.