Train with 1140 passengers leaves Chennai for Jiri
SOP for returnees by trains issued
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 10 2020: A special train carrying 1140 Manipuri people left Chennai for Jiribam this evening.

According to a high ranking official of Health Department, the State Government was planning to bring back 1200 Manipuri people including students who are stranded in different parts of Tamil Nadu on account of the COVID-19 lockdown but some of them opted to stay back.

Meanwhile, the State Government has taken special measures for screening the 1140 people who are expected to arrive at Jiribam in the morning of May 12 .

As many as 12 counters would be opened at Jiribam for screening the evacuees and each doctor would be manned by one doctor, one nurse and one volunteer, said the official.

Train with 1140 passengers leaves Chennai for Jiri

All the evacuees would be separated at Jiribam according to their districts before they are taken to district level quarantine centres by bus, said the official.

The State Government has also arranged food and water for distribution to the evacuees as and when they reach Jiribam, added the official.

Meanwhile to facilitate smooth transport and screening of stranded people of the State by special trains, the State Government has come out a standard operating procedure (SOP).

Chief Secretary Dr J Suresh Babu issued an office memorandum to this effect today.

According to the SOP, all stranded persons should compulsorily register their names in www.tengbang.in as well as at the web portals of respective State Governments where they are presently located.

Since the trains are run on non-stop mode from station of origin to station of destination, the first priority would be given to locations where the number of stranded people is sufficient to run a train.

Only medically fit persons would be allowed to travel.

Anyone having symptoms or suspected to be infected from the containment zone would not be allowed to board the train, said the SOP.

Final lists of passengers would be notified on the official website www.tengbang.in.

Although food packets and water would be provided by the originating State/Railways, it would be better if all the passengers make arrangements for adequate food and water for themselves as the train will not stop in any railway station.

Although the train is non-stop train from place of origin to Jiribam, it may stop at certain stations for operational purpose but the passengers should not get down from the train.

All passengers should refrain from mixing around in bogies and definitely should not move from coach to coach.

They should follow social distancing norms and wear mask compulsorily.

On reaching Jiribam, passengers should proceed to designated counters for screening in systematic way and no crowding would be allowed.

In case the train arrives late in the evening, the screening may be done inside the coaches and the passengers shall stay in the train overnight till the arrangement is made for bus movement early in the morning.

Once the health screening is completed, each passenger would be given a token indicating the bus and the seat number.

The passengers should board the buses in district-wise manner so that the buses can go directly to the district level quarantine centres.

A different protocol would be followed in case of any suspected passenger as per the orders of the Health Department, it elaborated.

Family members or friends are not allowed to go to Jiribam to receive the incoming passengers or at the quarantine centres, mentioned the SOP.