Migrant workers from Telangana confined indoors in Gulf

Workers from regions in northern Telangana are employed in UAE, Sharjah, Qatar, Bahrain and other Gulf countries. While operations have been suspended in many workplaces, many are waiting for clarity on the resumption of work and payment of wages.

Bhumaiah Kalleda from Jannaram in Mancherial district, who works in Bur Dubai in the UAE and serves as president of the Gulf Workers Sankshema Samiti, said groups of workers are staying indoors and taking precautionary measures. “We don’t know when the situation will return to normal or when companies will start working again, and we are not sure whether we will be paid during this crisis,” he said.

Jangam Balakrishan from Indhalvai in Nizamabad district and Mengu Anil from Dangyapur village in Sarangapur mandal of Nirmal district are among those working in different parts of the UAE. It is said that workers from Telangana have remained in groups and supported each other throughout the current situation.

Some workers, who were heading to their respective villages in Telangana for family duties, are reportedly stranded due to flight disruptions. Sundaragiri Shankar Goud, 45, of Atmakur village in Metpally mandal of Jagtial district, said he had come from Qatar a month ago to attend a marriage and was informed at Hyderabad airport on February 28 that his return flight had been cancelled.

In another case, Ramawath Surya of Lingapur in Mamada mandal of Nirmal district said that his 31-year-old son Ramawath Prashanth, who works as a driver in Dubai, has been missing since December 2023. He expressed concern for his safety under the current circumstances by submitting a memorandum to district authorities seeking assistance in tracking down his son.