{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,4]],"date-time":"2026-05-04T10:39:53Z","timestamp":1777891193541,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":21,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"1","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["WOR"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2023,9,11]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>BACKGROUND: During the unexpected lockdown implemented in early 2020 in reaction to the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a considerable section of India\u2019s population of migrant construction-site workers were stuck. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to explore the lived experiences and consequent perceptions of migrant workers related to the COVID-19 lockdown and the consequences on their lives. METHODS: We conducted structured in-depth interviews (IDIs) with twelve migrant construction-site workers in Bhavnagar, Western India, from November to December 2020, using qualitative research methods. All IDIs were conducted with participant\u2019s consent, audio-recorded, transcribed in English, inductively coded, and thematically analyzed. RESULTS: The primary financial challenges mentioned by the migrant workers in the interviews were unemployment, monetary issues, and a difficult sustenance. The social concerns were described as anxious migrant exodus, discrimination, mistreatment, lack of social assistance, inability to fulfil their family\u2019s expectations, lack of safe transportation arrangements by the authorities during the exodus, inadequacies in the public distribution system, law and order, and apathy of their employers. The psychological repercussions were described using terms like \u201cfear,\u201d \u201cworry,\u201d \u201cloneliness,\u201d \u201cboredom,\u201d \u201chelplessness,\u201d and \u201ctrapped.\u201d Monetary compensation, job opportunities at the native place, and a well-managed migrant exodus were reportedly their key expectations from the government. Healthcare issues mentioned during the lockdown included a lack of facilities to treat common ailments, substandard care, and repeated COVID-19 testing prior to departure. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the need to have rehabilitation mechanisms such as targeted cash transfers, ration kits, and safe transportation services for migrant workers through inter-sectoral coordination for mitigating hardship.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3233\/wor-220127","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,2,28]],"date-time":"2023-02-28T11:28:38Z","timestamp":1677583718000},"page":"33-45","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Plight of migrant construction-site workers during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020: A qualitative exploration in Bhavnagar, Western India"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"76","author":[{"given":"Ashvinkumar B.","family":"Ramana","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College Bhavnagar, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University, Gujarat, India"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sweta","family":"Singh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College Bhavnagar, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University, Gujarat, India"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mihir P.","family":"Rupani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College Bhavnagar, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University, Gujarat, India"},{"name":"Clinical Epidemiology, Division of Health Sciences, ICMR - National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH), Indian Council of Medical Research, Gujarat, India"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ritika","family":"Mukherjee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Executive Office, Generating Research Insights for Development (GRID) Council, Uttar Pradesh, India"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Archisman","family":"Mohapatra","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Executive Office, Generating Research Insights for Development (GRID) Council, Uttar Pradesh, India"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","reference":[{"key":"10.3233\/WOR-220127_ref2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bonaccorsi G , Pierri F , Cinelli M , Flori A , Galeazzi A , Porcelli F , et al. Economic and social consequences of human mobility restrictions under COVID-19. Proc Natl Acad Sci [Internet]. 2020;117(27):15530-5. Available from: https:\/\/pnas.org\/doi\/full\/10.1073\/pnas.2007658117","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.2007658117"},{"key":"10.3233\/WOR-220127_ref3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bairwa M , Behera S , Chavda PD , Kulkarni P , Mohapatra A , Ramraj B , et al. Combating the COVID-19 pandemic in a resource-constrained setting: insights from initial response in India. BMJ Glob Heal [Internet]. 2020;5(11):e003416. Available from: https:\/\/gh.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/bmjgh-2020-003416","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjgh-2020-003416"},{"key":"10.3233\/WOR-220127_ref4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sharma AJ , Subramanyam MA . A cross-sectional study of psychological wellbeing of Indian adults during the Covid-19 lockdown: Different strokes for different folks. SantanaGL, editor. PLoS One [Internet]. 2020;15(9):e0238761. 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