Even as Shramik special trains are running across the country to get migrant workers home, it is not that easy to get train tickets. 

And, sadly because of this issue, many migrants are left with no choice but to look for any other means to return to their native place. 

sabrangindia.in

A man from UP, who was unable to buy train tickets for himself and his family, ended up using all his savings to buy a second-hand car to return to his hometown in Gorakhpur. 

Lallan worked as a painter in Ghaziabad and he waited for three days, for his turn, to get Shramik special train tickets but he ran out of luck. 

With no other option left, he decided to head to the bank to withdraw all his savings to buy a second-hand car. 

economictimes.com

He withdrew ₹1.9 lakh from the bank and used ₹1.5 lakh to buy the car which he used to return home with his family. Lallan in an interview said:

After the lockdown, I stayed on hoping that things would soon return to normal. When the lockdown kept getting extended, I thought it would be safer for me and my family to return to our village. However, we made several attempts to get seats on buses or trains but failed. 

At first, he thought of traveling in the bus but he decided against it as buses were overcrowded and he feared that his family might contract the virus due to lack of social distancing in the bus so he didn’t want to take any chances. He said:

Finally, when I failed to get seats in the Shramik trains, I decided to buy a car and travel home. I know I have spent all my savings but at least my family is safe. 

Lallan, along with his family, is under home quarantine now and he hopes to get work in his native place as he promises to never set foot in the city again.