Govt brings back 87948 stranded residents of J&K till date | KNO

Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

Jammu, May 23 (KNO): “All travellers coming to Jammu and Kashmir, either by flights, trains or other means of transportation will be kept in institutional quarantine for 14 days and tested for COVID 19 using the RTPCR test. If the test is negative, they will be sent home otherwise to a hospital on being tested positive. This is the UT protocol under the Disaster Management Act”, informed the government. All airlines and other concerned may inform and brief their passengers in this regard to avoid any apprehension among the passengers regarding the protocol. Meanwhile, about 151 passengers have reached at Srinagar International Airport yesterday under Vande Bharat Mission taking the total toll of people travelled through COVID special flights to J&K to 652.  Nearly, 87948 J&K residents, stranded outside UT due to lockdown imposed in the wake of global pandemic, have been brought back to the UT by the Jammu and Kashmir government through 26 COVID special trains, 4 flights besides scores of buses after strictly observing all necessary preventive measures regarding the Virus. As per the detailed break up about the figures, the government has evacuated 65374 residents of J&K, stranded in various other states and UTs, through Lakhanpur besides bringing back home about 21922 people through 26 special trains at Jammu and Udhampur railway stations. Nearly, 875 stranded passengers have entered through Lakhanpur from May 22 to May 23 morning while 797 passengers have reached today in the 10th COVID special train at Jammu and about 717 passengers have reached at Udhampur railway stations from Trivandrum. So far, 10 trains have reached Jammu with a total of 8867 stranded passengers belonging to different districts while 13,055 passengers have reached Udhampur in 16 special trains, so far. As per the official communiqué, of 65374 returnees evacuated through Lakhanpur till May 23, 2020 (morning) included 15200 from Punjab; 20235 from Himachal Pardesh, 21 from Andhra Pardesh, 6414 from Delhi, 1345 from Gujrat, 2663 from Rajasthan, 3749 from Haryana, 149 from Chattisgarh, 3332 from Uttarakhand, 972 from Maharashtra, 4244 from Uttar Pradesh, 63 from Odisha, 250 from Assam and 974 from Madhya Pradesh, 88 from Dehradun, 1089 from Chandigarh, 677 from Telengana, 99 from Karnataka, 10 from Tamilnadu, 52 from Chennai, 293 from Bihar, 155 from West Bengal, 26 from Jharkhand, 3 from Nepal and 3271 from other states and UTs. Pertinently, the district administrations of Jammu, Udhampur, Kathua and Srinagar have put in place elaborate arrangements and facilities for safe and successful boarding and de-boarding of returnees at the Railway stations and airport and their journey towards their home districts. Besides, 100 per cent sampling of returnees is being done at the kiosks established at the stations and it is ensured that the people in the administrative quarantine go home only after they are tested negative for Corona virus. The administrations are strictly adherening to the guidelines issued by MHA and MoFHW regarding COVID-19. It is being ensured that during the boarding and de-boarding process the passengers observe social distancing and wear masks. Besides, complete protection of the administrative staff and others on duty is being ensured. Principal Secretary PDD, Rohit Kansal; Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Manoj Kumar Dwivedi and Chief Electoral Officer, Hirdesh Kumar, who are the Nodal Officers for management of return of stranded people at Jammu, Udhampur and Kathua respectively, are personally monitoring the facilities being extended to the passengers during their de-boarding and movement to their home districts –(KNO)