The ongoing lockdown in India to deal with the Covid-19 Pandemic has disproportionally affected low income groups, especially migrant labourers and daily wage workers. Even now, over two months after the initial lockdown was announced, people are still stranded far away from their homes in oftentimes hostile environments and with fast depleting resources. A complete shutdown of factories and industries has meant no income for them for months on end.
Unable to find or afford transportation, these desperate workers are resorting to any means necessary to get back home – from walking, cycling or hitching rides in container trucks in inhumane conditions for hundreds and thousands of kilometers. Grim reports of deaths due to exhaustion, dehydration and road accidents have accompanied their grueling journey across the country.
The central government has arranged for special train services, known as Shramik (Labour) trains to take these migrant workers back to their villages – but due to the irregularity of the service and difficulties in booking a seat, they have provided little relief. Stories have also appeared in leading newspaper dailies & news outlets about the congestion, heat and lack of food and water on these trains, which compounded with no access to emergency medical facilities, have led to several deaths. A recent heartbreaking example was captured in a video of a woman lying dead on a railway platform after one such journey while her child unaware, plays alongside.
Flights have emerged as the only reliable means to travel and escape these hardships, but are out of reach to the urban poor, most of whom have been thrown out of jobs without pay due to the lockdown. Migrants & daily wage workers are often paid below the minimum wage, which averages at about Rs 8,000 per month (110$), in the State of Tamil Nadu. Consequently, the cost of a single flight ticket would mean exhausting their entire savings. In one case, a worker sold his livestock, a source of income, to pay for flight tickets costing around Rs. 30,0000 (400$) for himself and two other persons to travel a distance of 2,066 Kilometers (1283 Miles). The cost of flight travel is beyond reach to the vast majority of the population, especially those migrant workers stuck in cities on account of the lockdown. The fund will be primarily used for the following:

1. Transport of stranded migrants from within the state, from their current location to an accessible airport, railway station etc. for them to travel inter-state and reach their homes. The Mode of Transport will be either Flights or Trains or Buses. If utilizing Trains or Buses, as & when necessary, we will ensure persons travelling have enough water & food for their journey. Safety & the comfort of their travel will be our main concern.
2. 2. Provide Support, in the form of (i) Ration Kits (Which will include rice, oil, pulses etc.) (ii) Food (iii) Primary Medical Aid expenses (Includes Masks, Gloves & Hand Sanitizers) 3. Improve Conditions of workers residing in Shelters. No Administrative Expenses 1. Since funds collected will be distributed & utilized by a Voluntary network, there will not be any Administrative Expenses.