MHA Allows Interstate Travel of Stranded Tourists, Students and Labourers

The Ministry of Home Affairs has on Wednesday allowed the interstate travel of migrant workers, tourists, students etc. stranded at various places in the country amidst the lockdown enforced due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The MHA in its notification said that all States/ UTS should designate nodal authorities and develop standard protocols for receiving and sending such stranded persons. “The nodal authorities shall also register the stranded persons within their States/UTS,” the notification read.

“GoI issues order to State/UTs to facilitate Inter-State movement of stranded people including Migrant Laborers in the country. All persons to be medically screened at source & destination; & kept in home/institutional quarantine on arrival.” Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs said in a tweet

GoI issues order to State/UTs to facilitate Inter-State mvmt of stranded people inc. #MigrantLabourers, in the country.
All persons to be medically screened at source & destination; & kept in home/institutional quarantine on arrival, as per @MoHFW_INDIA guidelines.#COVID19 pic.twitter.com/4zfztwB2NA

Advertisement

— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) April 29, 2020

The MHA further said that in case a group of stranded persons wish to move between one State/UT and another State/ UT, the sending and receiving States may consult each other and mutually agree to the movement by road.

For the transport, the Ministry said that buses shall be used. The buses will be sanitized and shall follow safe social distancing norms in seating. The stranded persons who wish to travel would be screened and those found asymptomatic would be allowed to proceed, they said.

When these stranded labourers, students and tourists reach their destination, they would be accessed by local authorities and kept in home quarantine and if required in institutional quarantine.