It is lockdown 4.0. Life in the City of Lakes has begun to hobble. Eeriness that gulped its roads is ebbing. Yet, the normal cacophony on the streets is missing, because only a few groceries and a few offices have reopened.
Migrant workers are, however, on the move. Hundreds of thousands of workers, lugging their possessions can be seen walking back to their villages on highways around the city.
What they hunger for is food, water and medicine. The footwear they wear is torn due to long hours of continuous walking.
Long before the governments could wake up to the problem of migrants, a few citizens and some of the voluntary organisations began to serve food, medicines and water to the workers.
Although much has been written about health workers, policemen and government, not a single word has been uttered about these people who worked like warriors but remained out of media glare.
Many individuals serving the migrant workers told media persons with folded hands that their names should not be published.
They are pouring out love through food packets. Many social workers even say they are working for the nation in this hour of crisis.
The sight of a senior citizen serving bread to the migrants enduring the May heat generates hope for the younger generation. The man politely said his photograph should not be taken.
Similar is the story of a group of engineering students who saved their pocket money to serve food to the migrants.
Nearly 30 voluntary organisations and hundreds of individuals are busy providing essential items to the migrants. They have been doing this work for more than 45 days.
They say they will continue to do until the lockdown is lifted. Nevertheless, there is nobody to clap for them or to shower flower petals on their heads for rendering yeoman service.
Each organisation and each individual is feeding daily at a time when a morsel of food has become a luxury. They are not getting any financial help from anywhere. They portray the real picture of India.
