In Surat, Gujarat, a significant shortage of domestic cooking gas (LPG) has forced many migrant laborers to leave the city as black market prices soar. Long queues of workers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and other states have been spotted at the Udhna railway station as they prepare to return home, laden with their belongings such as utensils and cooking stoves. Many have expressed their determination not to return until the LPG situation stabilizes, indicating a broader crisis affecting their livelihoods.

Despite government assurances of no LPG shortages in the country, the reality on the ground paints a different picture. Workers without gas connections have to rely on the black market for cylinder refills, where prices have become exorbitantly high. This financial strain has made it untenable for many, forcing them to abandon their livelihoods in Surat and seek refuge in their home villages until the situation improves.

The scenes at Surat's Udhna railway station starkly illustrate this migrant crisis. Reports from the 'Aaj Tak' team show that numerous laborers cite the gas shortage as a primary reason for their departure. Yogesh Kumar, among others, shared their vulnerabilities as they faced the difficult choice between their work in the city and the basic need for sustenance back home, highlighting the urgent need for government intervention and support to alleviate this crisis and secure their livelihoods in the long term.