Coronavirus scare in Patna: Daily wagers bear brunt as city stays home

PATNA: Daily wage earners, especially road side vendors and rickshaw pullers, are facing a tough time in making ends meet as people have virtually self-quarantined themselves inside their homes to avoid contracting the coronavirus infection.
Bailey Road, Boring Road and the roundabout, Rajdhani Vatika and other commercial complexes, which remain chocked with vehicles and people, are now deserted.
A traffic policeman at Boring Canal Road said vehicular movement has gone down drastically. A roadside food vendor Tinku Kumar Patel said he normally earns Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,700 from his chat shop located opposite Rajdhani Vatika, commonly known as Eco Park. “But from Monday onwards sales have gone down with earning of hardly Rs 100,” he added.
Yashwant Kumar, An e-rickshaw driver, earns around Rs 700 plying near the Eco Park. “My daily earning is now barely crossing Rs 100 as no one is coming here as the park is closed,” he said.
Chotu Kumar, an employee of a petrol pump said the daily average sale of fuel has gone down and he fears that if this continues he may lose his job. “At present, the pump is somehow touching Rs 35000 sales, barely half of the usual sales,” he added.