New Delhi, May 19 -- Mason Bhagwan Das Harijan lives in Bhopal's 40 Piplani Quarter Basti. He cycles 10 kilometres every morning to reach his office in Manisha Market. From there, he goes to his worksite with other workers. It takes him two hours to go and come back. Sometimes it gets dark. But the salary of Rs 10,000 is not enough to buy a motorcycle or bear the cost of petrol. Government rations are also not available.

"It is difficult to go by any other means. You will have to change three buses or 'Magic' taxis. I can reach there by bicycle in that time," he said.

Bhagwan Das has been settled in Bhopal since 2016 after working in many cities like Delhi, Lucknow, Jammu and Chandigarh. He likes the city's open air and scarcer traffic...