With India coming to a halt after imposition of the countrywide lockdown, thousands of blue-collar workers gathered at a bus terminal hoping to find their way back home notwithstanding the threat of the spread of the coronavirus outbreak in the nation's capital city of Delhi.

The incident took place at Anand Vihar bus terminal on March 28, 2020.

According to reports, the Uttar Pradesh government announced that it had arranged 1,000 buses to shuttle migrant labourers stranded in Delhi owing to a countywide lockdown.

Following this, hordes of people, including women and children, gathered in packed lines along a two-km-long stretch of the highway that runs parallel to the entrance of the Anand Vihar bus terminal.


According to sources, the buses have a normal seating capacity of 70-75, which were packed to the brim with anywhere between 125 and 150 passengers.


Some good samaritans distributed food to those preparing for their journeys.

Delhi Police officers, also wearing masks, can be seen carrying batons and loudspeakers as they attempt to regulate the mass of people.

There are more than 900 active COVID-19 cases in the country and, as per data from the Health Ministry, at least 19 deaths have been linked to the virus.

Earlies, the Indian government had directed people to maintain social-distancing and self-isolation to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

Such closely packed gatherings put the deadly COVID-19 pandemic at great risk of a rapid spread as India prepares for stage three of the outbreak.