A day after the arrival of a special train from Gujarat ferrying stranded people, another train carrying 536 returnees from Hyderabad reached Manipur on Tuesday.

Reports from Jiribam district headquarters where state’s only railhead is located said the train which left Hyderabad on May 16 and arrived at Jiribam station around 10 am.

The returnees were stranded in and around Hyderabad due to the nationwide lockdown imposed to contain COVID-19 pandemic.

Fortunately, the special train started its journey with the initiative from the state government in coordination with the railways’ authority and the originating state officials.

The returnees boarded their respective buses following necessary medical screening for their onwards journey to districts.

All the buses left for their respective destinations in between 10.40 am and 12 noon, according to a DIPR report here.

The first bus with 8 passengers for Ukhrul district left at 10.43 am followed by three buses for Churachandpur & Pherzawl districts carrying 48 passengers left at 10.45 am and another three buses for Tamenglong District with 53 passengers including one baby left at 10.56 am.

One bus for Kangpokpi district with 33 passengers left at 11.18 am.

One bus each for Kakching district with 24 passengers and Bishnupur district with 31 passengers and two buses for Chandel and Tengnoupal districts with 36 passengers left simultaneously at 11.23 am, the report said.

One bus for Thoubal district with 22 passengers left at 11.30 am. Two buses for Senapati district with 31 passengers including one baby left at 11.44 am.

Three buses for Imphal East and Kangjong districts with 61 passengers left at 11.54 am.

All the returnees will be housed at Institutional or Community quarantine centres in their respective districts for 14 days, the report added.

Sobhapati Samom is Northeast Now Correspondent in Imphal. He can be reached at: [email protected]