COVID-19 lockdown: Emotions run high as 'dejected' Kota students return to homes in Bihar
PATNA: After the initial arrivals, on Tuesday, migrant workers and students are on way by 13 special trains from across the country to reach different destinations in Bihar.
Over five thousand migrants including 2450 students from Kota in Rajasthan returned Bihar on Monday by five special trains originated with them from Kota in Rajasthan, Earnakuluam and Turur in Kerala previous days.
Around 5,941 migrants including students arrived on Monday from different parts of the country.
Ratnesh Kumar (name changed), 20, preparing for IIT entrance in Kota of Banka district broke down in emotion as soon as he saw his 56-year-old father standing at a safe distance at the Brauni station.
"Each passing day for students stuck in Kota made them feel closer to the reach of COVID-19. Around 95% of students of Bihar especially, stuck in Kota felt dejected when news quoting state government's inability to bring us back reached," he said.
Echoing similar sentiment, another student (who did not want to be named) of Begusarai said that the entire students community, especially girls, wept every day, praying to God and tweeting to PM Narendra Modi and others for rescue.
The first two special trains carrying 2,450 students from Kota reached Barauni station in Begusarai where after the proper medical screening they were sent to their respective districts including Bhagalpur, Khagaria, Banka and others by buses arranged by the government.
The third special train carrying 1200 students again from Kota reached the Gaya junction Monday afternoon.
"Though, there was no problem for food as such to most of us but what made us scared was the delay in bringing us back. But finally, we are back, thanks to PM Narendra Modi and CM Nitish Kumar as well Tejashawi Yadav, who mounted pressure on the government," Nilesh, 19, aspiring medico said.
Similarly, many students at Gaya said that they were spending sleepless nights but had faith in the state government for rescue.
Reena (name changed), 21 of Aurangabad said that around 5000 to 6000 students from Bihar are at Kota."And all of us continued making more than 5000 appeals on social media, tweets and other modes of communication to all government and others besides prayer. Combined together, all these efforts did miracle to us," she said.
According to the chief spokesperson of East Central Railway, total of five special trains, each with the composition of 24 coaches accomodating 50 to 54 students in each coach, arrived in Bihar from Ernakulam and Turur in Kerala on Monday.
AT Danapur in Patna, 1167 migrant workers from Ernakulam and 1145 from Turur in Kerala reached in the evening .
"Everything was fine in the journey but we couldn't get sufficient foods and had to depend on biscuits," a migrant said.
As soon as the trains carrying the migrants halted at Danapur, they were asked to follow the social distancing pattern while coming to the 24 medical screening stalls, which were made at platform number 1.
Patna divisional commissioner Sanjay Kumar Aggarwal said that the migrants would be placed under the quarantine after proper Medical screening for the next 21 days instead of 14 days.
He said that every day 5 to 10 special trains would be coming in Bihar the migrants from across the country.
The principal secretary of the transport department said that more than 200 buses were arranged at Danapur, Barauni and Gaya to transport the migrants and the students to their respective districts.
Meanwhile, total count of Covid-19 positive cases reached 526 in Bihar.