Welcome Decision To Allow Inter-State Travel For Stranded Persons
Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
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By Sunil Garodia
First publised on 2020-04-29 19:48:20
About the Author
Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
View all posts by this Author
The Centre has done well to allow the travel of stranded people from Monday, 4th May to their home states. This is an issue that demanded attention especially after migrants had shown a tendency to flout the lockdown rules in a bid to go back home. Also, several states had taken initiatives to bring back their stranded students, particularly from the education hub of Kota in Rajasthan.
It has also done well to issue guidelines for this purpose. Mainly, the guidelines have prescribed for the appointment of nodal authorities in each state who will then develop standard protocols for the purpose, registration of such stranded persons who wish to go back, their screening and permission for travel only to asymptomatic persons, arrangement for transportation by road by properly sanitized buses and maintaining social distancing, after mutual discussion between the sending and receiving states and the need for quarantine and periodic check-ups once they reach their destinations.
Since the current period of lockdown is slated to end on May 3, this can be seen as a graded relaxation of the same, as by all accounts the lockdown will be extended for a minimum period of two weeks, if not more. The stranded persons have already been pinned to their current locations for more than five weeks. Migrant workers are showing signs of distress and may revolt, leading to unpleasant situations across the country. Other stranded persons like students, pilgrims and tourists have also suffered for long and if possible, would like to go back home by following the rules and taking proper care of their health.
Hence, the Centre has taken the right decision. But all states must ensure that enough buses are provided to bring them back and all health advisories are followed. Further, strict protocols must be in place and they should be sent on a first-come-first-serve basis without having to grease palms. The well-connected must not be allowed to jump the queue. These people have already suffered a lot. Now they must go back to their homes safely and with dignity.
