New Delhi: Over 200 pilgrims who were stranded at Majnu Ka Tilla Gurdwara, Delhi and were later shifted to Nehru Vihar quarantine centre are now hoping to go back home after union govt allowed inter-state movement.
Reportedly, their 14 days quarantine period at Nehru Vihar quarantine centre ended on April 15 but due to travel restrictions amid lockdown, they couldn’t go home. They have been requesting Punjab government to bring them back to their home state.
“It has been 31 days of our despair, there are women and little children in the group, back at home we have wheat to be harvested, Punjab govt should help us and send buses to ease our pain,” said one of the pilgrims.
The interstate movement of stranded people, as per new guidelines by MHA, will be facilitated by the state and central government. Anyone willing to be transported back home will have to be medically screened at source as well as destination and will be kept in a home or institutional quarantine on arrival.
"All states to designate nodal authorities and develop standard protocols for receiving and sending such stranded persons. Stranded migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students will be allowed to move with conditions during the lockdown," the MHA order said.
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It also added that the transportation of such individuals will be done via buses or train as flight services are currently unavailable for passengers. The buses shall be sanitised and the authorities will follow protocols of social distancing while making seating arrangements for the passengers, the MHA order said.
“Punjab govt has sent buses to evacuate pilgrims at Hazoor Sahib of Maharashtra. Distance between Punjab and Delhi is less than the distance between Punjab and Maharastra. Cops say we are ready to send you back home but Punjab govt is not responding” said another pilgrim.
As per latest updates, Punjab has a total 741 cases of COVID-19 which includes 351 pilgrims who returned from Hazoor Sahib.
As per the government records, till Thursday 3525 pilgrims from Maharashtra, 153 students from Kota, Rajasthan and 3085 labourers from Fazilka, Rajasthan were evacuated.
The sudden spike in the number of cases after evacuation has drawn criticism for Amarinder Singh led Punjab government. Although on directives of Punjab CM , Additional Chief Secretary Satish Chandra on April 27,2020 wrote to Deputy Commissioner of New Delhi, Nidhi Shrivastava seeking expeditious permission of Delhi government to facilitate the safe return of stranded pilgrims via special Punjab state buses but the evacuation of pilgrims is likely to get delayed despite new guidelines and permission of MHA under current political scenario.
