70 state buses sent to bring back students stranded in Kota

Students from Maharashtra that were undertaking coaching for competitive entrance examinations in Rajasthan, stranded in Kota due to lockdown owing to the spread

Students from Maharashtra that were undertaking coaching for competitive entrance examinations in Rajasthan, stranded in Kota due to lockdown owing to the spread of coronavirus, will now be returning to the state.

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Seventy Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses have left from Dhule in Maharashtra for Kota on Wednesday morning. “The buses have left from Dhule for Rajasthan. Precautions have been taken and protective gears are provided to the staff,” said Abhijeet Bhosale, public relation officer, MSRTC. These 70 buses along with two additional standby buses are likely to reach Rajasthan by Wednesday night and will leave for Maharashtra on Thursday late evening or Friday morning.

The buses will have limited stops while two drivers have been provided by the MSRTC for every bus. Twenty students will only be allowed to travel on one bus. The students will have to undergo a health check upon arrival, post which they will be quarantined.

“We have a list of 1,876 students that will arrive in the buses. Students from the same districts will be sent together in buses. Upon arrival in the district and after a health check, the respective district collectors will decide on home quarantine or institutional quarantine of students. We are also arranging food for the students while they are on-board the buses.” said Sanjay Yadav, district collector, Dhule.

After the coordination of the state disaster management cell with the Rajasthan disaster management unit, students that had personal vehicles were allowed to travel back to Maharashtra. 150 vehicles were permitted to travel from Rajasthan to Maharashtra.

Maharashtra transport minister Anil Parab, on Tuesday, had tweeted about bringing back the stranded students. “1,780 students from Maharashtra are stuck in Kota, Rajasthan due to lockdown for precaution against Covid-19. As directed by Honourable CM Shri. @OfficeOfUt, 92 buses of MSRTC fleet will Leave on 29th April 2020 from Dhule to rescue the students & Bring them back home.”