Manipur: 1,140 stranded persons reach Jiribam station from Chennai

Imphal: As many as 1,140 stranded people from Manipur arrived by the Indian Railways’ special train at Jiribam railway station around 12 pm on Wednesday.

The returnees, mostly students and migrant workers, started their journey from Chennai in Tamil Nadu on May 10, the first massive evacuation for the stranded citizens in metro cities by Manipur government by train.

The stranded persons who arrived on Wednesday were received by the Manipur government’s COVID-19 response team.

As per reports, a total of 135 passengers from Ukhrul district would be the first to deboard the train and proceed to the screening booths to avoid crowding and to maintain social distancing as precautionary measures for spread of the virus in the state.

All the passengers will undergo COVID-19 screening test at the district-wise counter being set up at Jiribam train station before heading for Imphal. As many as 10 screening counters with screening medical staffs have been set up at the railway station, reports said.

Moreover, 50 buses have already been stationed at Jiribam to transport back the returnees to state capital Imphal, which is 216 km away, as per reports.

According to Jiribam deputy commission W Malemnganba Chenglei, around three community quarantine centres with a capacity to accommodate at least 600 people are in place to any asymptomatic passengers.

After clearing the initial screening at Jiribam, the evacuees will be taken to their respective district’s community institutional quarantine centres for another screening and testing for COVID-19 as precautionary measure to avoid further spread of the virus in the state.

Those testing negative for COVID-19 would be sent to community quarantine centres with strict 14 days’ quarantine period.