Serpentine queues were seen outside the Gnanapuram-entry of Visakhapatnam Railway Station on Saturday as around 1,000 people, hailing from Rajasthan, who mostly work in marble shops, businesses owned by Rajasthani community in the city, industrial workers, petty vendors and at tea stalls, left along with their families by the Shramik Special train.
They formed long queues, as they stood in the hot sun with their luggage, outside the railway station.
No work
The officials checked their identity, the travel authorisation issued by the district authorities and health status before allowing them into the station. They have no work for the past two months in view of the lockdown and some of them were supported by their employers to make both ends meet.
“Though some of the businesses are beginning to open up slowly, most of them eager to meet elders and other family members in Rajasthan and spend time with them before returning to work in the city,” said Kishore Kumar, a member of Rajasthani Sanskritic Mandal of Visakhapatnam. “Most of the workers are not even in a position to pay their room rent. Some more members of the community are expected to join at Anakapalle and Elamanchili stations. The District Collector was helpful in arranging the special train for the workers from our home State,” he said.
