Noida’s migrant worker exodus is more about their notions of ‘home’ than coronavirus: Study
Our research in Noida for the past two years shows many poor migrant workers do not think of city of work as their home. They are treated as outsiders and live in cramped spaces.
Nilotpal Kumar and Ritanjan Das 1 April, 2020housands of migrant workers began walking home from Delhi and adjoining areas of the NCR within just a few days of the 21-day coronavirus lockdown, alarming the central and state governments. They ignored calls to stay put in Delhi— ‘their own home’. But many poor migrants do not think of the city of work as their home, which is a specific place of belonging and security.
We have been conducting
field research on migrant workers’ experiences in Noida since 2018 and
many of the findings help us understand the reasons for their exodus. [ . . . ]
