A young mother waits with her child at Dimapur Railway Station after arriving in the special train from Chennai, as a member of the Dimapur COVID-19 response team sanitizes their luggage on May 22. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 22
The first special train carrying over 1469 people, who were stranded in Chennai, reached Dimapur at around 6:20 pm on May 22.
The returnees, mostly students and migrant workers, had started their journey from Chennai on May 19.
After arriving at the Dimapur Railway Station, senior pastor of Dimapur Sumi Baptist Church, Rev S Vitoshe Swu said a prayer after which the passengers started alighting.
Several COVID-19 response teams of the state government received the returnees and have since been screening and conducting other necessary safety protocols, after which they will be assigned to quarantine centres.
An update from the Control Room of the Empowered Group (COVID-19) Dimapur informed that 1469 persons arrived on the train. However, the daily briefing from the Principal Secretary, Home, stated that 1320 persons arrived on the train.
According to DPRO Dimapur, screening for those who are heading to Kohima, Wokha, Mokokchung, Zunheboto, Longleng, Phek, Tuensang and Kiphire was completed at the time of filing this report. The returnees will be quarantined in Kohima.
Screening of returnees to Dimapur was also completed while screening of Mon returnees was in progress. Peren returnees were yet to be screened, DPRO Dimapur informed.
The Nagaland Government has ordered 14-day compulsory quarantine at designated institutional and community quarantine centres for everyone coming from other states. This will be followed by 14 days home quarantine.
426 arriving from Haryana expected on May 24
Principal Secretary, Home, Abhijit Sinha, informed that as of 6:00 pm, on May 22, a total of 426 stranded citizens of Nagaland have left Gurugram, Haryana by train for Dimapur. This train is expected to arrive at Dimapur on May 24, at around 5:40 am.
Further, on May 23, about 1550 migrants from Bihar state stranded in Nagaland, will leave Dimapur by train to Motihari, Bihar at around 9:00 pm, Sinha added.
