<p>A group of migrant workers visited Singapore's Little India area on Wednesday for their first taste of freedom in more than a year, under a pilot programme to ease movement measures imposed to halt a spike in coronavirus infections in dormitories.</p>.<p>While the rest of Singapore has returned to some semblance of normal life, low-wage foreign workers have mostly been confined to living quarters, other than for work, nearby recreation or essential errands.</p>.<p>Wednesday's trip is part of a programme to allow up to 500 fully vaccinated migrant workers to visit certain public locations for six hours each week. The project will be evaluated after a month.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/number-of-indian-professionals-in-singapore-up-due-to-tech-talent-demand-not-favourable-treatment-minister-1005509.html" target="_blank">Number of Indian professionals in Singapore up due to tech talent demand, not favourable treatment: Minister</a></strong></p>.<p>The Southeast Asian financial hub in April last year imposed controls on tens of thousands of mainly South Asian labourers after their often-cramped dormitories became the epicentre of last year's outbreak.</p>.<p>The pilot covers just a fraction of the large migrant labour population, who must take rapid Covid-19 antigen tests before and after visits.</p>.<p>For the lucky few, it was a chance to roam their old haunts.</p>.<p>After praying at one of Little India's temples, Ayyavu Ponnaiah said he planned to do some shopping over the next few hours.</p>.<p>"I am very happy," he said.</p>.<p>Fellow Indian Vairavan Karuppaiah, who works in construction, plans to visit a shopping centre to buy new clothes.</p>.<p>The manpower ministry started the programme after more than 90% of workers in dormitories were vaccinated, above Singapore's overall inoculation rate of about 81%, one of the world's highest.</p>
<p>A group of migrant workers visited Singapore's Little India area on Wednesday for their first taste of freedom in more than a year, under a pilot programme to ease movement measures imposed to halt a spike in coronavirus infections in dormitories.</p>.<p>While the rest of Singapore has returned to some semblance of normal life, low-wage foreign workers have mostly been confined to living quarters, other than for work, nearby recreation or essential errands.</p>.<p>Wednesday's trip is part of a programme to allow up to 500 fully vaccinated migrant workers to visit certain public locations for six hours each week. The project will be evaluated after a month.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/number-of-indian-professionals-in-singapore-up-due-to-tech-talent-demand-not-favourable-treatment-minister-1005509.html" target="_blank">Number of Indian professionals in Singapore up due to tech talent demand, not favourable treatment: Minister</a></strong></p>.<p>The Southeast Asian financial hub in April last year imposed controls on tens of thousands of mainly South Asian labourers after their often-cramped dormitories became the epicentre of last year's outbreak.</p>.<p>The pilot covers just a fraction of the large migrant labour population, who must take rapid Covid-19 antigen tests before and after visits.</p>.<p>For the lucky few, it was a chance to roam their old haunts.</p>.<p>After praying at one of Little India's temples, Ayyavu Ponnaiah said he planned to do some shopping over the next few hours.</p>.<p>"I am very happy," he said.</p>.<p>Fellow Indian Vairavan Karuppaiah, who works in construction, plans to visit a shopping centre to buy new clothes.</p>.<p>The manpower ministry started the programme after more than 90% of workers in dormitories were vaccinated, above Singapore's overall inoculation rate of about 81%, one of the world's highest.</p>