Monday, May 25, 2020

Reimagining Cities for Migrants


Date - 25 May 2020

Reimagining Cities for Migrants 



In the light of COVID-19 pandemic crisis and the subsequent National Lockdown, Indian metropolises and other big cities witnessed an unprecedented surge of reverse migration of till date invisible seasonal migrant workers. Mass exodus of workers, both intra-state and inter-state, working in medium and small factories, loom industries, and construction industry was being observed. It is well established that the key reason behind them returning homes (in villages and peri-urban places), was because cities ( and Centre and State Governments)  failed to provide any safety-net, any sense of belongingness to the seasonal migrants.

After utter neglect of migrants in first two phases of lock down when desperate migrants torn away veil of invisibility and started exodus in every possible manner from cities to their native places Governments have been forced to act but have started responding in absolutely chaotic manner. GOI has announced very few measures like one nation – one ration card, increase in MNREGA budget by Rs. 40000 crores to ensure temporary employment opportunities the migrant workers in the rural areas, Shramik Special Trains etc. Respective migrant recipient State Governments have also undertaken some measures to help out these returnee migrant workers. In future more measure will follow both at central and state level.     

As of 23th May as per GOI statement 75 lacs migrants have returned back to home in their native states ( 35 lacs by Shramik Trains and 40 lacs by buses) and arrangements have been made to transport another 36 migrants in next 10 days to their native place. It is likely that more than 15 million migrants will go back to their homes in rural and semi urban areas from main cities.
As a result of this unprecedented migration with each passing day, it is becoming evident that small industries, and enterprises, work sites etc are unable to start their operations due to lack of a significant portion of the workforce. As this reverse migration will continue, the problem of shortage of workforce will aggravate. With the social, psychological and economic scars of lock down and then ordeal of journey to home from cities carved on their psyche, the question remains whether the migrant workers will return to the cities? Will they return to Cities as transformed (organized, demanding improved working and living conditions) individuals due to the kind of ordeal they have gone through?

Foreseeing this challenge, Maharashtra Chief Minister appealed to the people (Bhumiputra/sons of the soil) to come forward and take up the job roles performed by the migrant workers. However, it is yet to be seen that whether the local urban population, who over the years, have increased their social and economic capital, will be keen to take up low-paid jobs (cheap labor and drudgery) performed by the migrant population? It is also necessary to contemplate the impact of such a shift on the flow of intra-state migration.

Reimagining Cities for Migrants
The COVID pandemic thus has brought to forefront the fragility of Indian cities and its non-inclusive nature towards the migrant workers. With no clear employer-employee relationships, lack of enumeration, lack of basic urban services and human living conditions,  no access to social security benefits and most importantly, lack of political participation in urban areas; Cities have turned into unwelcoming spaces for the migrant communities.

The founding premise of these hardships and neglect faced by migrant population in Cities, is the assumption that the migrant workers (especially inter-state migrants) are liabilities than assets. Such misconceptions are often backed by state specific domicile centric socio-political sentiments. But this at a go reverse migration hopefully will destroy this misconception and role of migrants as drivers of urban economy[1] will be realized and consequently to bring back migrants a thought, a policy response, a strategy of Reimaging Cities for Migrants may emerge!!

Migrants in due course of time if not in full number but will return to the cities owing to one, continued push of rural poverty; two, inadequate employment / livelihood opportunities; three, diversification strategy. The questions that arise are what strategies, what preparations should be deployed to reimagine the cities to be capable of providing decent working conditions, social security and better living conditions to the migrants?


[1] Recent report by Aajeevika Bureau points that on an average, the remittances of migrant workers is 30 to 40 percent of their monthly income. This means that a migrant worker utilizes 60 percent of his/her income in the city itself. Migrant workers fuels in monetary resources (as a strong customer base) of city’s small enterprises, shops, vendors markets, small canteens, home based services, rental rooms, or hostels. Such enterprises are often owned by the local urban poor or lower middle-class households. - Unlocking the Urban: Reimagining Migrant Lives in Cities post COVID 19 —Aajeevika Bureau, May 2020

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