Most heading home to Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and UP: Nothing to do here, say those at New Delhi Railway Station before leaving

“There is nothing to do here, so I am going back to my village to stay with family until things clear out. We have not been told when we should come back and whether our salaries will be cut,” he said.

There are many unskilled labourers such as Yogender who have lost work in the national capital region over the past week.

A Northern Railways official said most passengers travelling from the New Delhi station Saturday were heading East, to states such as Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and UP.

“The bookings for all East-bound trains departing on Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are full. However, it appears there were few cancellations on Saturday as some seats in trains were unoccupied,” the official said.

While the New Delhi station was not particularly overcrowded on Saturday afternoon, a steady influx of passengers could be seen. The ticket counters had about 20 people each standing in multiple queues. Others were either crouched on the floors in the main hall, or sitting on footsteps and leaning against walls, wearing masks and waiting for the announcement on their trains.

Mithu (20), who ran an ice-cream stall in Gurgaon, was heading to Patna. “The supply from companies has stopped. Roads are deserted and people are not venturing out. I don’t have a ticket but I can’t stay here. I don’t know when I will come back,” he said.

Shiv Charan Kumar (18), who ran a tea stall in Gurgaon’s sector 17, was also heading to Patna.

“People have disappeared suddenly. No one comes to the stall anymore. Maybe I will return on April 1. Things should have settled by then.”

Here’s a quick coronavirus guide for you to stay updated: Who all should be tested for Covid-19 and when? | How should you quarantine yourself? | How often (and how) should you clean your home? | What is the Janata Curfew announced by PM Modi? | Who are restricted from coming to India, and from when? | How long can the virus live on surfaces or in air around you? | Still more Coronavirus Q&A Explained news here