As there is a drop in MGNREGA work due to the onset of monsoon and the migrant workers who had returned to their villages in Bundelkhand during lockdown have decided to return to big cities in search of work to earn their livelihood.

Every evening around 50-70 people from Naraini block of Banda district board trucks to go to different regions of Delhi, Noida or Gurugram. Majority of them are construction workers who work as labourers at different construction sites.

The trucks which bring raw material for the Bundelkhand Expressway ferry these workers back to big cities from where they had come.

Brinda, around 30, has decided to go to Noida with his family of five, including his wife and three children. He is however leaving behind his mother in the village.

“I used to work in a construction site in Noida. During lockdown, when all the work came to a standstill I returned home. We walked for around 12 hours and then got a lift on a truck coming to Banda. But I was quarantined and was forced to stay in a school for 14 days,” he told this reporter on the telephone.

“Initially, I got work in MGNREGA project and was paid half of the amount. I got free ration too. Thus, I was able to survive for the last five months. But now the work in the MGNREGA projects has dried up because of the rains. Every day I go to panchayat office but am told to come the next day as there is no work because of rains,” Brinda said.

He said in this scenario I decided to go back to Noida. “I heard construction work has started there. I contacted the contractor with whom I used to work and he too asked me to return. So, I am going back now,” he said.

Desraj, another migrant from the Korrhi village in Banda, has also decided to go back to Delhi with his family.

“What will we do here? There is no work, hence no money. I got ration only once which is not enough for the family of seven. So I have paid money to the truck driver who is kind enough to take us to Delhi,” he said.