Covid-19 lockdown: Millions stranded and vulnerable; burdening healthcare

There are upwards of 60 million migrant workers in Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Delhi, according to the 2011 census. Some 33% of these migrants hail from Uttar Pradesh, 15% from Bihar and 6% from Rajasthan, followed by Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and the National Capital Territory of Delhi at 5% each, says India Migration Now, a Mumbai-based agency.

On March 24, the Centre invoked the National Disaster Management Act, which put the country under lockdown for 21 days from March 25. Subsequent guidelines shut down all commercial and private establishments, except for essential services, to minimise human-to-human contact. The