With Trains Cancelled, Migrants Stare At Grim Future in Bengaluru

The Karnataka government has set up a transit camp in the outskirts of the city.

A group of workers waiting outside a transit centre in Bengaluru. 

(Photo: Arun Dev/The Quint)

He wore his best shirt since he was expecting a long journey. He carried two pens. One was pinned to his shirt and the other in his trouser pocket, since he was told that getting home involves a lot of paperwork.

Carrying a backpack and plastic bag, he brisk-walked through Tumkur highway. Finally, when he saw the entrance to the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), he further picked up pace.

This transit camp at BIEC was the last stop before getting on the train to Bihar.

But as he made his way towards a gate, police officers charged at him and his friends with batons. At that moment, several emotions clouded his face – fear, helplessness and disbelief.

On Wednesday, 6 May, hours before the Karnataka government decided to cancel trains meant for taking migrant workers home, The Quint visited a transit centre in Bengaluru where the workers had gathered to get train tickets.

Pradeep Kumar was among the many migrants who had come to the transit centre in BIEC hoping to get a train ride back home. Since Tuesday, 5 May, the Karnataka government had shifted around 2,000 migrant workers to BIEC in the outskirts of the city, to be screened before sending them back to their home states in trains provided by the ministry of railways.

But unknown to several migrants, the government had pre-selected those who will be shifted to this transit camp based on a list and it was not open to walk-in candidates. Hours later, the Karnataka government took a decision to cancel all trains transporting migrants workers. 

As the news of a transit camp spread, migrants labourers across the state started making their way to BIEC. Some hitched rides on trucks, some took autorickshaws paying large sums, and few of them walked more than 20 km.

But the police had specific orders. No more migrants should be allowed inside, especially walk-ins.

After the police chased him away, Pradeep stood near a bus shelter, where he spotted a group of 20 men who met a similar fate as his. “They asked us to fill the forms, and then trains will be made available. But when we came here we are hit with lathis”, he said.

The bus stop near BIEC. (Photo: Arun Dev/The Quint

Even though the Karnataka government has been asking labourers to stay back since construction works had resumed in the state, Pradeep says he can't do that since the living conditions in Bengaluru are deplorable.

“They used to deliver food in our area earlier. Now even that has stopped. I will get some food at least if I get back home”.

Pradeep Kumar

After the food supply stopped he decided to get on a train at any cost. “For the past 10 days, I have been doing just this. Someone tells me to go somewhere, someone asks me to fill some form, and now I have travelled 20 km to get here. Still, no one is talking about getting us back home,” Pradeep says, showing his registration form from Seva Sindhu, the online portal opened by the Karnataka government for migrant workers.

When Pradeep mentioned the registration form, Vikram Gupta, a painter from Uttar Pradesh, spoke up. “I paid Rs 100 to get this form filled and printed”.

Soon, Ashish Sahai, another worker joined in. Someone had told him he would get a train from Bengaluru Central Station. “When I reached, there was nothing, and it took me Rs 600 to get there. I was told by someone that the train would leave from Yeshwantpura. I paid another Rs 600 to get there. I met some people there who told me about this place (BIEC), and I paid Rs 1,000 (for a group of 10 people) to get here”, he said.

Ashish Sahai showing the papers he got after registering for the travel. (Photo: Arun Dev/The Quint)

Sahai said that BIEC was his last hope and he spent all the money he had getting here. While the police are asking him to vacate the area, he says he doesn't have money to return to the labour camp.

He said he would sleep on the bus stop next to BIEC for the night, but there were already 20 people at the bus stop.

Bhola Yadav, a 45-year-old labourer, was observing the conversation from the bus stop. He has been sitting there in the hope of getting inside BIEC since Monday morning. “I have been on the roads for two days. I went to Majestic station, Yeshwantpura station, Chikkabanavara station before getting here. Whatever money I had is over”, he said.

Bhola Yadav, a 45-year-old labourer.(Photo: Arun Dev/The Quint)

Brijeshwar Sahni, another worker from Bihar, was inside the BIEC campus. He came out to meet some acquaintance, who asked him to help them get inside. “Now the police are not letting me back inside. My family and belongings are inside. At least there I got food, I don't know what I will do now," he said.

A police officer posted at the gates of BIEC said that they have strict orders not to allow anyone inside other than those brought in by the officials. He said after a group of migrant workers attacked a police inspector a few meters away from the centre the cops have been asked to be extra cautious.

On Monday night, a group of over 500 migrant workers came to BIEC hoping to take the train. Following the government orders, they were not allowed inside. “These workers blocked the Tumkur highway near Madavara, around one km away from BIEC. I was the nearest to the spot, so I rushed to the area. The crowd did not listen, and one of them threw a stone at me,” Peenya police inspector Mudduraju said.

Senior IAS officer N Manjunath Prasad, who has been appointed as the nodal officer for interstate travel from Karnataka, said that merely registering through Seva Sindu doesn't amount to a ticket on the train.

“A train can only carry 1,021 passengers. So when a train is organised, 1,021 passengers as per the list we have, will be sent text messages with the details. The migrants have assumed that the registration itself is a ticket and have come on the streets. We are appealing to them to wait for the message”.

Manjunath Prasad, Senior IAS officer. 

Meanwhile, those stuck outside the transit centre in BIEC are hoping to get inside. However, the situation isn't rosy for those camped inside either. Many of them will have to spend at least two days in the camp before getting on a train. But Pradeep says:

“At least we will get three meals and shelter inside. Please tell someone about us who are stuck outside.”