BERHAMPUR: Call it sheer determination in face of adversity, seven migrant workers have made a daring 1,200 km journey from Chennai to Sorolo village in Ganjam district on bicycles, braving many odds on way due to the lockdown. The seven, who were engaged in a construction firm in Chennai, reached Sorolo on Tuesday afternoon after travelling for nearly seven days. Among them was Ashok Behera (36) who carried his wife Namita (26) on the carrier mounted on his bicycle.
“When the lockdown was announced, we thought the situation would become normal within a fortnight and stayed back. However, when the Government extended the lockdown period, we decided to leave for our native place since our family members including elderly parents needed us at home during this crisis,” said Ashok. Muna Nayak (40) said over 100 persons of Sorolo are working in Chennai. “When the lockdown was extended, we made desperate attempts to return home but to no avail since all means of public transport were suspended. Without any option, 15 of us began our arduous journey on bicycles on April 14 from Chennai,” he said.
“We covered 200 km at a stretch and took rest at roadside sheds. We bought food from dhabas on the highway. On the way, we were stopped by police several times but we managed to persuade them to allow us on the pretext of our ailing parents. At places where policemen were unrelenting, we returned back and took diversions to escape the cops,” Muna informed. Before entering Vijaywada, eight of them decided to go ahead as Ashok, his wife and others needed some rest. “On reaching Vijayawada, we found the eight detained by police. However, we pleaded Namita’s illness and were allowed to proceed,” said Bhagaban Behera, another cyclist.
All the seven persons reached Balarampur check post at Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border in the afternoon and convinced the officials deployed there that they will remain in quarantine in Sorolo. “As none of us had any symptoms, we were allowed to proceed further after screening,” he added. “On our arrival at Sorolo, we got an emotional welcome from our parents and relatives. All the pain and tiredness of our long journey vanished on seeing the faces of our loved ones,” said Tankadhara Jani (40). The workers maintained social distance while meeting their family members and all of them have been put in the isolation centre set up at Mukteswar Vidyapitha in the village.