All arrangements in place, train returnees to be tested, quarantined: J&K principal secy

Two trains from Bengaluru, Goa carrying UT residents to reach Udhampur today; Delhi-Jammu train deferred to May 13

All set for the return of J&K residents stranded across the country, UT principal secretary Rohit Kansal said on Monday that arrangements were in place and the special trains would start reaching Udhampur from Tuesday.

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The inflow through trains was preceded by the regulated road transportation of the stranded persons via Lakhanpur and airlifting of Kashmiri students from Bangladesh.

Kansal told HT that each one arriving in Jammu and Kashmir, be it by road via Lakhanpur, trains or by air is being tested for Covid-19. “Same procedure will be followed for those coming to Udhampur in trains,” he said.

Two trains from Bengaluru and Goa, which are already on their way to J&K, will reach Udhampur on Tuesday morning.

The UT administration has decided to allow arrival of only two trains in a day, keeping in view the handling capacity of the railway station and testing facilities at Udhampur.

“While adhering to social distancing guidelines, the passengers will be ferried in state road transport buses, which would be disinfected twice before and after each trip,” said Kansal.

Stating that a proper quarantine protocol had been put in place, the principal secretary said, “While some returnees will be sampled and tested in Udhampur, those hailing from Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Kishtwar, Doda and Kashmir division will be tested in their respective districts.”

All of them will be sent to administrative quarantine facilities in their respective districts.

Kansal informed that the administration has made an app — transit management information system —wherein records of all passengers will be available.

“After deboarding the trains, details of the passengers will be uploaded in the app at the control room. It will have all their particulars, including information of sampling and results for easy and efficient monitoring,” he said.

As per rough estimate, over one lakh J&K residents are away from home.

“They include students, labourers, families and people working in various sectors. As of now, J&K has four modes of entry — by road via Lakhnapur, through Shramik Special trains, other trains and air travel. Irrespective of the mode, every single person entering the UT shall be tested for Covid-19 infection. This hasn’t been done by any other state or UT, but we are doing it to be doubly sure that the infection doesn’t spread into the community,” the principal secretary ensured.

The Udhampur administration has created a fresh sample collection capacity of 1,000 per day for the train returnees.

District commissioner Dr Piyush Singla said magistrates along with other staff members have been deployed to receive these passengers at the Udhampur railway station. Data entry operators have been deployed to guide the passengers about the process of online registration on the app.

The nodal officer at the control room will get the real-time data for database management, which will facilitate the allocation of buses for onward journey of these people to their hometowns immediately.

“Returnees shall be provided refreshment and water bottles at the railway station. We have earmarked a holding area with district-wise seating arrangements, proper shade and chairs. Sanitisation tunnels have also been established and sanitisers will be made available. Packed meals with water bottles will be served to these people ahead of their bus journey. Sufficient staff has been deputed to guide these passengers for registration and sitting in the buses concerned,” Singla said.

Meanwhile, Union minister Dr Jitendra Singh said that the first passenger train that was scheduled to leave from Delhi to Jammu on May 12, will now depart on May 13.

“This has been done to give authorities more time to make necessary arrangements,” he said.