- Title: India’s coronavirus lockdown triggers urban exodus in eastern states
- Date: 23rd March 2020
- Summary: PATNA, BIHAR, INDIA (MARCH 23, 2020) (ANI - NO USE INDIA) PASSENGERS, SOME WEARING MASKS, GATHERED PASSENGERS, SOME WEARING MASKS, WALKING PASSENGERS HOLDING MONEY GATHERED NEAR BUS GATE POLICEMEN MAKING PASSENGERS BOARD THE BUS VARIOUS OF BUSES CARRYING PASSENGERS SITTING IN ROOF LEAVING PASSENGERS WALKING (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) PASSENGER, SAYING: "The conductor and driver are not here. Authorities are giving orders that the bus will ply. (Reporter Asking-How will you go?) How will we go? We will keep sitting. There is no facility for food or any other facility." PASSENGERS SITTING INSIDE BUS/PASSENGERS SITTING ON ROOF OF BUS (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) PASSENGER, M.D. TEJAM, SAYING: "The authorities told us to sit in the respective buses. So we saw this bus and came and sat here and thought that the driver must be roaming somewhere but we saw no one was here." (Reporter Asking- For how long have you been sitting here?) It has been at least an hour." (Reporter Asking- And the bus did not leave?) And it has not left." PASSENGERS SITTING ON ROOF OF BUS AS OTHERS STAND
- Embargoed: 6th April 2020 12:30
- Keywords: India bus coronavirus crowd disease health lockdown
- Location: PATNA, BIHAR, INDIA
- City: PATNA, BIHAR, INDIA
- Country: India
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001C69USEN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Hundreds of migrants in eastern Bihar state on Monday (March 23) boarded buses, some even climbed on the roofs, in a desperate move to return to their villages after India began locking down most of its states to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
The panic-struck migrants, whose livelihoods have collapsed due to India's measures against the virus, were pushed to leave for homes where they typically do not pay rent and food is cheaper.
Chief of Bihar state, Nitish Kumar, on Monday announced a complete lockdown of 38 districts in the state till March 31, exempting essential services, after it reported its first death on Sunday.
Similar scenes of exodus were witnessed in eastern Kolkata and Muzaffarpur cities as the migrants fled to catch the last buses before a complete lockdown.
India has cancelled the train services which carry more than 25 million commuters a day, until March 31, and Bus services were limited to people in essential services such as healthcare.
New Delhi and at least 75 Indian districts are under lockdown to stop the virus, which has infected around 415 people in India and killed seven. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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