The Assam government will open its borders with other northeastern states from Sunday to allow stranded people to return to their homes, Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
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However, Assam residents stranded in Sikkim will not be allowed to enter the state as they will have to come through West Bengal, Mr. Sarma told reporters on Saturday.
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“The opening of the borders is only for inward journey and outward movement will depend on other state governments,” he said.
All people from Assam stranded in the six other northeastern states can return to their homes in their own vehicles and no passes will be required for this purpose, Mr. Sarma said.
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“We have informed the governments of the other states in the northeast that we will open our borders from Sunday. People can come and no passes are required,” he said.
The returnees will be screened at the borders and the doctors present there will decide whether to home quarantine them or to send them to hospitals, Mr. Sarma said.
The minister urged the people to reach their destinations by 6 p.m. as “in Assam, we are considering not to allow movement from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.”
The Assam government will also send state-run buses to the capitals of other northeastern states after a few days as they are now being used to ferry people stranded within Assam, he said.
The state government has allowed the movement of people stranded in different districts initially for three days from April 25, later extending it till April 30 and then till May 4.
The Assam State Transport Corporation will begin its regular services from Monday with half its capacity, Mr. Sarma said.
A total of 42 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Assam so far, of which 32 patients have been cured of the disease and one person has died. Nine people are still infected with the disease.