Along with migrant labourers, other migrants also shift their roots!

The city witnesses small traders and businessmen leaving for their hometown

Mumbai: Amidst the nationwide lockdown, now cities have started witnessing a new trend that of small traders and businessmen moving back to their hometown across the country. Hard-hit by COVID-19 economic slump add to that the mandatory social distancing the small time traders were finding it difficult in operating in slum-pockets of Mumbai. The nationwide lockdown has resulted in a major hit for these small businesses. These small time traders have now started boarding Sharmik special trains with other migrant workers and making their way back home to their native places. 

These small time traders and workers mostly are from the unorganized sectors like bicycle repairers, laundry, tailoring, milkman, garage, imitation jewellery, plastic molding units, potters, bag manufacturers are largely self-employed people who have now become jobless.

Financial wheels in this self-employed and unorganized sector are locked due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This sector has mixed education qualification and mindful of safety concerns they have started speedily moving back to their native states like Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. 

These people have been staying in Mumbai for decades and have been catering services and operate small trades from their slum- pocket areas like Nagpada, Madanpura, Dharavi, Kurla, Sion, Worli, Ghatkopar, Vikhroli, Bhandup, Kalyan, Ulhasnagar, Malad, Kandivali, Borivali, Dahisar and Mira-Road. 

Faujdar Dubey a wholesaler from Dharavi said,” I am unable to operate my farsan (dry snacks) business. This is red zone. Somehow, I managed for three-months but now I am going back to my native place in the Sharmik Special train. Even after lockdown is lifted hardly any people will come to buy.”

Dubey pointed out that even if he stars getting supply orders regularly, he cannot operate as now the demand is for cash-business. The buyers will be reluctant now in buying feels Dubey. 

Likewise even a sweet mart retailer, Manish Gupta said, “My shop is closed since long, I was not allowed to even remove my raw materials and sweets from shop. My labourers have already left and I cannot afford the rent also. I will take up farming for some time in my native village.”

Ganesh Jha another resident from Andheri said, “All my chawls has gone empty. People are rushing back to their natives. It is difficult for them to survive in small businesses. There are big overheads for them. Every colony or society has one laundry and the laundry-wala is not doing a single rupee business in the last three months since the lockdown began. So they are rushing back to their homes in their native places.” 

Jha who owns cattle stable and has constructed few chawls explains that it is not just about migrant labourers. These small traders and self-employed cannot survive even after lockdown. They think coronavirus is not just contagious and dangerous but food and other expenses in Metro city will kill them.”