Yashashwini & Ekta

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It’s Labour Day, May 1, but these workers on the Bengaluru Metro project – ironically called Namma Metro (our metro) – have not received their wages since March and live in fear. Saboot/ Evidence, a 13-minute documentary (being released today), follows the journey of the city’s metro workers during the lockdown. More broadly, it seeks to highlight the living and working conditions of migrant labourers.“I am afraid. If we die at home, there is no issue. If we die here, no one will take care of us,” says one of the labourers. It’s been seven months since he left his village. The lockdown continues to add to his waiting as he longs to see his family. Many of his co-workers feel the same way. All living in homes made of tin sheets – sharing rooms with 10-15 others, even as they try to practice social distancing.

It’s not just the pandemic that has crawled into their lives. The lack of regulatory support by their employers, exploitation by contractors, and the sheer negligence of the authorities has left the workers nowhere. The construction of the yellow line of the Metro Rail (by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited) was stalled overnight when the lockdown was declared on March 24 in Karnataka. Workers, under contract, were asked to leave the construction site without any prior notice. With the lockdown, they have had no means to return to their village. “It has been 15 days now our employer has not even come to check on us even once.” says a worker.

Following the order of the Ministry of Home Affairs on April 29, to allow stranded migrants to travel home, the Karnataka government announced on April 30 that it will make arrangements. But no one has contacted the metro workers yet.  The film is narrated by the workers. They cover their faces with masks to protect themselves from the coronavirus. But what about the social, economic and individual crisis? The documentary asks: who will protect them from that crisis, and how? Written and directed by Yashaswini and Ekta Featuring: The workers of Bengaluru Metro  Cinematography &amp; Editing: Yashaswini

Locked-down on Labour Day: no work, no pay

শ্রমিক দিবস: লকডাউনে কাজ নেই, মজুরি নেই

कामगार दिनी टाळेबंदीत: ना काम, ना दाम

ಕಾರ್ಮಿಕರ ದಿನದ ಲಾಕ್ ಡೌನ್: ಕೆಲಸವಿಲ್ಲ, ವೇತನವಿಲ್ಲ

শ্ৰমিক দিৱসত বন্দী জীৱনঃ কামো নাই, মজুৰিও নাই

தொழிலாளர் தினத்தில் முடக்கம்: வேலையும் இல்லை ஊதியமும் இல்லை

ଶ୍ରମ ଦିବସରେ ତାଲା ବନ୍ଦ: କାମ ନାହିଁ, ମଜୁରୀ ନାହିଁ

मज़दूर दिवस पर घरों में बंदः काम नहीं, तो वेतन नहीं

یومِ مزدور پر گھروں میں بند: کام نہیں، تو تنخواہ نہیں

Bengaluru

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Locked-down on Labour Day: no work, no pay

A new documentary film in which the migrant labourers who make up most of the workforce on Bengaluru’s metro rail project explain their situation in Covid-19 lockdown time

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