The catastrophe of COVID-19 in India, and the overriding imperative of state sponsored lockdowns
on its subjects led to such a state of confusion, especially for the unorganised sector- the Migrant labour
workforce. These lockdowns which lasted in India, for severe months initially started with a heyday for the
future, which impacted the businesses and even halted operations, with factories and construction sites shutting
down leading to job losses and pay cuts. The calamity brought out many problems to the brim which were
already existing in the society, but it further evolved into a situation of crisis. Left without any income/ jobs and
food supplies, these Informal labourers, had no option but to reiterate back to their native places – resulting in
mass exodus or Reverse migrations. Issues like Hunger, and absence of Ration cards which
forced these migrants to flee the cities on foot in scorching heat of 40degrees Celsius, travelling 100 kilometres
bare foot, with no means of transport. Some permanent migrants were also trapped in the cities. Majority of the
migrants were seasonal migrants who started fleeing away or those who practiced circular migration, these
labour movements also witnessed in migrant’s death, with reasons ranging from starvation, suicides, exhaustion,
road and rail accidents, police brutality and denial of timely medical care. Many visuals of migrants travelling
by foot, admits the Covid-19 surge led to expose the reality of weakness regarding the labour laws and issues in
the country. Seeing the grave situation, government as a response to the migrant crisis, across the country
announced relief measures like relief camps, special trains, food packages under the scheme of ‘Atmanirbha
Bharat’ totally ignoring the social production. This paper attempts to record the lived experiences of Domestic workers,
labourers of Wazirpur and Jahangirpur Industrial area, Delhi India .
