An elaborate protocol has been drafted and arrangements made as around 1,500 stranded students from J&K are returning home from different parts of the country in the next 24 hours.
An official said over 50,000 locals, stranded in different parts of the country, are likely to head home to celebrate the upcoming festival of Eid.
The first train carrying around 1,000 students left from Bengaluru on Sunday forenoon. Another train is arriving from Goa, where hundreds of traders and travellers have been stranded since the lockdown was implemented. Around 37 stranded persons, including 11 students, are arriving from Agra, government officials said.
Protocol in place
To ensure that the fresh influx into J&K does not spike the number of COVID-19 cases in the region, Chief Secretary B.V. R. Subrahmanyam said, “The passengers would be asked to follow social distancing norms while de-boarding from their trains and ensure strict compliance of all the guidelines and standard operation procedures issued to check the spread of coronavirus during the whole process.”
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He said all arrangements have been made by the administration with regard to testing and providing quarantine facilities to the passengers reaching here.
Sources said many buildings of the Education Department in south Kashmir and Srinagar have been put on a standby mode “to meet any eventuality”.
“All the officers deployed at different levels were asked to work in close coordination so that the arrangements and logistics work smoothly,” said the Chief Secretary.
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However, scores of students complained that the helplines provided were not sufficient to register for train bookings. “I am running out of budget [money] and so is my family. I am stranded in Delhi. I am a student of Delhi Uuniversity from Kashmir. And the government is showing no interest for my return to home,” said Aamir Suhail, a student.
Srinagar Deputy Commissioner Shahid Choudhary said around 1,627 residents returned by road over the weekend. “Around 1,200 have been tested. Around 236 reach home after testing negative,” said Mr. Choudhary.
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NC MP asks
National Conference (NC) Member of Parliament Hasnain Masoodi on Monday demanded early evacuation of Kashmiris stranded in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan and other countries.
An NC spokesperson said Mr. Masoodi called on External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar early this morning and sought early evacuation of stranded Kashmiris, including students, visitors and tourists. “The Union Minister gave a patient hearing and assured that the government will take all possible steps to ensure safe return of all stranded compatriots from the countries mentioned,” the spokesperson said.
