Exodus of Bengali Workers from Mumbai and Delhi; Scramble for Train Tickets—Find Out More…

New Delhi: A significant number of Bengali workers reside across major urban centers, ranging from Mumbai to the national capital, Delhi. These workers earn their livelihood by engaging in daily wage labor or performing odd jobs throughout the day. With elections now underway in West Bengal, thousands of these migrant workers are eager to return to their home state to cast their votes. They fear that if they fail to vote, their names will be struck off the voter list.

In Mumbai, thousands of migrant workers employed in the jewelry industry wish to travel back to their hometowns in West Bengal specifically to participate in the voting process. However, many of these workers have been unable to secure train tickets.

Kalidas Sinha Roy, General Secretary of the Bengal Swarna Shilpa Kalyan Sangh (Bengal Gold Craftsmen Welfare Association), stated, “There is an immense demand for train tickets in April. Our association had written to the Ministry of Railways requesting additional trains; however, we were allotted only 24 special trains across the entire country—a number that is far from sufficient. While there are currently seven daily trains running from Mumbai to West Bengal, this capacity remains inadequate. Consequently, those unable to secure train tickets are now making arrangements to travel via AC buses.”

Narayan Pal, a worker in the gold jewelry industry, remarked, “My name did not appear on the voter list following the Summary Revision process. I had to travel to my village in West Medinipur specifically to complete the necessary formalities for that procedure. Now, I wish to cast my vote and ensure that my name is firmly established on the electoral roll. We intend to appeal to the authorities to arrange additional trains for us, as we are currently unable to secure tickets—even when offering to pay double the standard fare.”

Sunjay Dala from Daspur noted, “There are many first-time voters among us who are eager to exercise their franchise. Virtually every worker based in Zaveri Bazaar is keen to return home to cast their vote. Securing a train ticket has become an extremely difficult task. We firmly believe that having our names included in the voter list is of paramount importance for the future generations of our families.”

Bengali Workers in Delhi Face Similar Difficulties

In the ‘Bengali Basti’ (Bengali settlement) area of ​​South Delhi, a large population of Muslim Bengali migrant worker families resides, facing similar challenges and anxieties regarding their return to West Bengal for the elections. For several decades, thousands of Bengali Muslim families have been residing here. The vast majority of the residents here hold voter cards issued in Bengal. Consequently, a significant number of people are currently migrating back to Bengal.

These residents fear that if they do not cast their votes in the Bengal elections, their names will be struck off the voter list. To conduct a reality check on these apprehensions, our team visited the “Bengali Basti” (Bengali settlement) and spoke with the residents. The prevailing fear among most people was that a failure to vote in the Bengal elections would inevitably lead to the removal of their names from the voter list in the near future.

The Fear of Being Struck Off the Voter List…
Residents allege that during the SIR (Summary Revision) process, the names of many individuals were deleted; in some cases, only half the members of a single family appeared on the list, while the other half were excluded. Consequently, casting a vote has become imperative, as failing to do so could result in their names being permanently removed from the voter list in the days to come. Now, under the shadow of this fear, these residents face a major logistical challenge: they are unable to secure train tickets, and the trains currently running are severely overcrowded.

Given this situation, many residents of this colony are willing to travel by private bus. However, they report that bus operators are also reluctant to undertake the journey, citing concerns that potential fuel shortages—specifically regarding diesel or petrol—could disrupt their travel plans amidst the current national scenario.

Mintu from the Bengali Basti remarked, “Many people are terrified regarding the SIR process. Our Bengali Basti has a population of approximately 5,000 to 6,000 residents. A deep-seated fear has taken root in people’s minds—the fear that while some names remain on the voter list, others have been deleted. With the upcoming elections—the first phase of which is scheduled for the 23rd of this month right here in our district—everyone in this area is deeply anxious about this issue. This anxiety affects everyone, whether their name appears on the list or not. They are haunted by the question: ‘If we are compelled to travel to Bengal, how will we get there?'”

Majitullah stated, “My name is currently listed as ‘pending’ and has not yet been finalized. How can I possibly travel until everything is properly resolved?” “I have been casting my vote for at least the last 8 to 10 years.” Meanwhile, Asabuddin Sheikh stated, “My name has appeared on the list, but the names of my two sisters have not.”