The roof of the Tennis Pavilion, located in Bengaluru’s Palace Grounds, came crashing down on migrant workers due to the rains on Friday evening. According to All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) Karnataka, about 100 men, 40 women, 45 kids and six children below the age of one, were present, all of whom were completely drenched after the roof gave way.
Over an hour after the incident, a bus of the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) came to pick up the workers with their luggage to transport them to another location. The workers were supposed to be shifted to Tripura Vasini, a banquet hall, but the venue was shut.
Workers were still in the bus, completely drenched due to the rain, and no physical distancing could be followed, according to reports. Only after some time passed was the venue opened up.
Narrating the incident, one of the workers said, “The storm came and the roof fell down. We want to tell the government that there are small children, women — a lot of people, they are stuck here. There are people from Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Jharkhand and Odisha here. We request the government to shift these people today itself urgently or will have to move from here on foot,” he said.
1/n From the tennis pavilion now where the roof came crashing down. Workers survived it but are scared, tense, asking for support. We salute bravery of Mr Ravi Kumar of @BlrCityPolice who saved them. @clifroz @ralpharakal @Karmika_Sahaya @WeAreBangalore @DalitCamera @nimmasuresh pic.twitter.com/6JlsDr4YH4
— AICCTU Karnataka (@aicctukar) May 29, 2020
The families were rescued by Ravi Kumar of the Bengaluru City Police when the roof crashed.
“We have narrowly survived. There was a police officer who helped us. A lot of people came forward to help to remove the people from under the roof. Everyone's luggage, mobile and cash is stuck under the rubble," the worker said.
The migrant citizens, who have been waiting to go home, were left tense, and asked the government for help. Some said they would begin walking home in the morning, according to AICCTU Karnataka.
"I fold my hands and request the government to send us back home within 3 days or we will just leave from here,” the worker in the video posted by AICCTU Karnataka said.
Another worker with her toddler said that the baby was on her shoulders when the roof collapsed. “We want to go from here. If we stay here, we might lose our baby. I can’t get milk for my baby and she does not eat food but only drinks milk from the bottle. What will we feed the baby?” she asked.
One worker said that he will leave tomorrow, with or without the government’s help.
“No matter how, we have to leave tomorrow morning. Please help us. We request the government to help us reach our destination somehow. Regardless, we will leave on foot tomorrow. This we promise. We need this because our family members are very scared. If something happens to us here and we die, then everyone in my family will go. There are four-five mouths to feed at home, and I’m the only earning member. This is the case for all families and all people. There is no one to earn,” he said.