Over 2,200 people stranded in Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka and Odisha due to COVID-19 lockdown, will return to Mizoram, an official said on Thursday.
The meeting of important officials presided over by state health minister R Lalthangliana on Thursday pointed out that about 630 people stranded in Telengana would return to the state by a special train.
“They are expected to arrive at Silchar rail station in Assam on May 24”, the official said.
He said that the government is taking measure to bring them by train up to Bairabi on the Mizoram-Assam border.
The official said that at least 129 people are planning to return from Kerala on Sunday and the state government would make arrangement to transport them after their arrival at Badarpur rail station in Assam on May 26.
Apart from them about 1500 people stranded in Karnataka would set out for Mizoram from Bangaluru rail station on May 25 and were expected to arrive at Bairabi on May 28, and another 23 people would start travelling in buses on Sunday from Odisha and were expected to arrive at Vairengte on the Mizoram-Assam border on May 25, according to the official.
According to the report given by officials of the task group on quarantine facility at the meeting, more than 430 quarantine facilities have been set up by the state government and churches to accommodate more than 13,800 people across the state as of now.
Besides, inspection is being underway on government schools in Aizawl district to be used for quarantine facilities, the official said.
The meeting also deliberated about plan to receive returnees at Lengpui Airport although it is yet to be known if it will be included among the airports to be opened with the operation of domestic flights on May 25.
The meeting also pointed out that all the stranded people, who will return by flight, must obtain prior permission from the state home department for movement permit and the thermal camera would be installed very soon.
The state government has temporarily suspended the issuance of Inner Line Permit (ILP) to outsiders on the arrival of Lengpui airport since March.
All visitors have to obtain ILP from the competent authority before their arrival at the airport, the official said.
He added that all returnees will be screened and take Rapid Antibody Test (RAT) on their arrival.