BHUBANESWAR: A day after Odisha government ordered mandatory 14-day quarantine for persons coming to the State from West Bengal, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday stepped up measures at city airport and railway station for their tracking.
BMC officials said two dose vaccination certificate or RT-PCR negative report is mandatory for those flying to the Capital from West Bengal. The airlines concerned have been asked to take measures in this regard at the boarding points. Besides, counters have been opened for registration of West Bengal returnees at the railway station.
The BMC and CRPF personnel have also been deployed at the station to monitor the returnees. Earlier in the day, many West Bengal returnees after their arrival at the station went home without being advised to remain in quarantine, for which the BMC drew flak from various quarters.
Municipal Commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhary, however, said precautionary measures were put in place at the station and passengers are being advised to stay in home isolation or in paid quarantine facilities authorised by BMC if they don’t have the required documents to produce.
Station director Chittaranjan Nayak said special arrangements have been made for tracking and registration of the passengers. The exit from platform no 6 of the railway station has been stopped while arrangements for both entry and exit have been made at platform no 1, he added. Sources said 43 trains are coming to Odisha via West Bengal monthly. Around 5,000 passengers from the neighbouring state are coming to the city and its outskirts in nine trains daily which is a cause of concern.