Bihar gears up to screen all returnees from abroad

PATNA: The state government is gearing up to facilitate the arrival of state residents stranded abroad, including in the Middle-East, after the Centre on Thursday kicked off the evacuation exercise to bring back Indian stranded due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
Vipin Kumar, resident commissioner of Bihar in Delhi, told TOI on Thursday that in the first round, people primarily belonging to the southern states will arrive on May 8 on special flights.
As many as 64 flights will take off starting from Thursday to international destinations. The flights will be operated by two airlines till May 13. Ten flights have already left the Delhi airport for various global destinations.
“Once I am informed by the official concerned about the arrival of Biharis in Delhi, then with the coordination of the ministry of external affairs, we would plan and send the people to Bihar. Depending on the number of people, we would think whether to send them via flight or train,” Vipin said.
Meanwhile, Gaya DM is making arrangements for the migrants coming from Gulf countries. The Gaya airport has put in place precautionary measures for the migrants’ arrival in the coming week.
Dilip Kumar, the Gaya airport director, said thermal scanners and strict health protocols were in place at the airport to screen each passenger. “The state health department would depute a team of doctors for health check-up of passengers. The migrants will likely reach Gaya via Delhi or Mumbai,” he said.
He added: “The passengers have to download the Arogya Setu mobile app and if it shows green signal then only they would be allowed to board the flight for Gaya. Social distancing would be maintained at each counter and there would be marking for passengers to follow.”
State nodal officer for Covid-19, Dr Ragini Mishra, informed that the samples of migrants coming from abroad would be collected by the health officials for testing, whereas they would complete the 21-day quarantine at the block-level centres.