NEW DELHI: Nearly 500 Delhi students stranded at coaching hub Kota in Rajasthan due to the coronavirus lockdown returned to the national capital on Sunday morning in 40 private buses.Transport minister Kailash Gahlot said the students, who arrived at the Kashmere Gate Inter State Bus Terminal (ISBT), would be sent home in DTC buses after undergoing medical tests.
With coaching classes cancelled, the students said they were confined to their hostels in Kota, the coaching hub for engineering and medical aspirants, and were feeling lonely and anxious.The uncertainty over the lockdown period coupled with lack of clarity on exam dates was proving to be quite stressful for the students and they were relieved to be back home, they said.
“The hostel in which I lived, gradually emptied and only a few students were there. It was difficult to focus on anything amid this anxiety,” said Arun Kumar, a resident of Mohan Garden preparing for NEET in Kota.Earlier, the Delhi government had said that more than 800 students would be brought back to the city from Kota in 40 private buses.
However, the number came down to 480 as many names were repeated in the list prepared with the help of Kota administration, said Rajiv Singh, ADM (central), nodal officer for the evacuation operation of the Delhi government.“A total of 480 students have been brought back from Kota. All the students are reportedly fine,” Singh said.
He said the needs of students were taken care of by teams of Delhi government officials who accompanied them during the journey from Kota and that Civil Defence volunteers were deployed to move their belongings which included study material and books.
Meanwhile, the revenue department of the Delhi government had set up an enquiry counter at Kashmere Gate ISBT for coordinating work to ensure the safe return of the students. Separate counters were set up for each of the 11 districts in Delhi. The students getting down from the buses were directed to their respective district desk where they were screened and medically examined for coronavirus.
Repitition of names
Earlier, the Delhi government had said that more than 800 students would be brought back to the city from Kota in 40 private buses. However, the number came down to 480 as many names were repeated in the list prepared with the help of Kota administration, said Rajiv Singh, ADM (central), nodal officer for the evacuation operation of Delhi government
(With agency inputs)