As the migrant workers have begun returning to Ranchi and other cities on special trains from across the country, the State Government and Railway have made arrangements for testing at railway stations.
But the majority of workers returning home avoid the test. As per State Government directives, all the migrant workers returning to the state have to undergo Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) at railway stations.
A visit to a railway station, where hundreds of workers and normal passengers returning home, will show gross negligence by the passengers. At railway stations the majority of passengers were not following social distancing.
Many of the returning workers were not properly masked. The swab collection facility was deserted, and all the passengers exited without any thermal screening.
On Monday when Swarnajayanti Express reached Ranchi station from Patna, a large crowd was witnessed. Majority of passengers were not following necessary Covid guidelines such as social distancing, wearing of masks and using sanitises.
Moreover, there was no one to enforce Covid guidelines on passengers and migrant workers at railway stations.
Sources said that passengers/migrant workers are not going for the Rapid Antigen Test as they fear government strict quarantine policy.
As per State Government guidelines, all migrant workers returning to the state will have to undergo Covid-19 test on arrival and a mandatory week-long quarantine.
All migrant workers coming back to the State of Jharkhand shall be tested (RAT) on arrival. Those migrant workers who test negative shall be quarantined for 7 days in institutional quarantine facilities to be set up at appropriate level by the respective district administration.
The decision was taken to prevent the further spread of Covid-19, particularly in rural areas, amid a surge in cases. The migrant workers will be tested again before departure for home from the quarantine facilities.
Those tested positive in any of the two tests mentioned above shall be managed as per protocol of Department of Health and Family Welfare.
Sources said though the state government has made strict guidelines but there is no one to impose. People are not going for tests nor are there separate district wise buses for migrant workers unlike last year.
Meanwhile, Senior Divisional Operations Manager, Ranchi, cum CPRO, Neeraj Kumar said, “The Ranchi district administration is carrying out tests of passengers reaching Ranchi and Hatia stations. There are officials from district administration who are enforcing Covid guidelines.” Kumar said that there is a crowd on trains reaching Ranchi and Hatia station from different parts of the country. He said that the railway has taken several measures ensuring that Covid doesn’t spread such as mandatory Covid negative test reports for passengers going to states which have high cases.
He also said that at present 34 trains are making up and down movement from Ranchi and Hatia stations, while 13 trains have been cancelled.