Yasoda Bai

Yasoda, a 54-year-old housemaid from Someshwarwadi, Pune, embarked on a challenging journey to Badlapur in Uttar Pradesh during the lockdown. Utilizing old savings and loans from acquaintances, she and her family faced a month-long journey, informed by neighbors and YouTube. Without consistent transportation, they walked and occasionally secured expensive lifts, enduring hunger, thirst, and exhaustion.

No assistance was received, and they lacked adequate shelter, food, and water. Financial resources were scarce, and upon arrival, they were quarantined without healthcare. Due to the lack of employment opportunities in their hometown, they returned to the city for work. Yasoda stresses the need for a well-communicated timeline for blue-collar migrants to leave cities before future lockdowns to prevent such hardships.