"Labourers are not migrating from the city. These are all rumours," the official said.

 

DCP (East district) Priyanka Kashyap also shared a similar message stating: "No such mass movement of labourers has been reported or is happening".

 

IANS had on January 9 reported that migrant labourers, who during the previous coronavirus-induced lockdown ran out of food, struggled to access healthcare and faced acute livelihood problems, were once again returning to their home states fearing that the weekly curfew may be converted into a lockdown as the surge in the cases of novel coronavirus continued unabated.

 

However, the weekend curfew was not extended beyond January 9.

 

Delhi on Monday recorded 19,166 fresh cases, raising the infection rate to 25 per cent, highest since May 5.

 

According to an earlier IANS report, several migrant labourers have already left for their home states fearing lockdown in the national capital.

 

"Last time, I got stuck in the national capital with my family. Duration of lockdown was extended gradually and I faced a lot of hardship. That's why when this time I heard of curfew, I left the national capital," said a migrant labourer Hemant Maurya. He further said: "If the curfew is not extended, we will come back. Fearing lockdown, I left for home on January 6. We will face problems due to unemployment, but if life is saved, we will find some work. This time I was accompanied by four fellow labourers."