New Delhi: Flight operations, Railways and inter-state bus services are likely to remain suspended even after 14 April, when the nationwide lockdown is expected to end, ThePrint has learnt.
The move was discussed at a meeting of the Group of Ministers (GoM) on Covid-19 Tuesday, where Amit Shah and Nirmala Sitharaman, among others, were present. The GoM, headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, was held to review the situation and steps taken across the country to fight the virus.
This was the fourth meeting of the GoM on Covid-19 since March 25.
Although no decision was taken on either extending or lifting of the lockdown, the ministers discussed the exit strategy of how it can be lifted in phases.
According to a source in the government, everyone agreed that inter-state movement must be restricted to keep the spread of the virus in check.
“Even if certain restrictions are lifted, inter-state travel will not be allowed even post-14 April. This includes air and rail travel and inter-state bus movement. Because if that starts, people will start moving around the country, which can prove to be dangerous, considering the present circumstances,” the source said.
The source added that although there is a plan to ease certain restrictions by 14 April, complete lifting of the lockdown is “out of question”.
“The ministers agreed that complete lift of the lockdown is out of question. An exit strategy is being worked out on how to go about easing out restrictions and it will be done in phases,” he said.
Besides that, the need to enhance testing across the country, close monitoring using drones and easing restrictions on the movement of agricultural labourers was also discussed, sources told ThePrint.
Also read: Transportation of goods in India comes to near halt amid nationwide lockdown
Supply of essential goods
The GoM also discussed the supply of the essential goods to parts of the country.
“It was noted that essential commodities were available in sufficient quantities and no shortages were reported from anywhere in the country. Also, all supplies are being smoothly transported to parts of the country,” a second source told ThePrint.
Religious places
The GoM also put forth their concerns over closely monitoring all religious places to keep a check on large gatherings.
“It was felt that places where the public tend to gather in large numbers such as religious centres should be closely monitored and any such gatherings be prevented,” the second source said. “Increased monitoring through drones was also suggested.”
Testing facilities
According to the second source, the GoM also discussed measures to enhance testing facilities in medical laboratories.
“The GoM recommended measures to enhance testing facilities in medical laboratories. They are aware that this is the need of the hour and needs to be taken up on priority,” the second source said. “All state governments will be given directions accordingly.”
Agricultural operations
Although a decision was made to allow agricultural operations during the current harvest season, despite a lockdown, many farmers have not started work as the message has not trickled down to the grassroots level.
The GoM, in this meeting, also decided that the authorities concerned be briefed about how to convey the message to these farmers at the earliest.
“Though the government has said that agricultural operations can go on, considering that a person can very well practice social distancing while working in a field, the message has not trickled down to the grassroots level,” the source said.
“The GoM discussed the same in great detail and has decided to ask concerned authorities to spread the message among farmers that they can come out in the fields to work, while practicing social distancing.”
The GoM also expressed satisfaction over measures put in place to provide shelter and food to migrant workers.
Also read: Trial assessing anti-clotting drug to algorithm guiding PPE use — latest on Covid-19 research
I request to open lockdown for 2 days flight train so that people can go to there home it’s very much painful suition.I respect ur decison but pls don’t ignore us also
Thousands of cancer patients are roaming in and around Tata memorial hospital, Mumbai. Out patient department has stopped their service except emergency. We also roaming here and there as treatment in hospital is stopped till normalcy. Landlord is pressing daily to vacate and try to enhance rent. What can we do? Atleast flight or train service kindly be resumed so that we can move to our own state. We are staying here meaningless as no treatment is giving by the hospital.
Please do make some arrangements to reach our own home towns since we are stucked in other states.
Plz open the all travel routes just for 3-4 days. My husband in valsad he is alone .he could not make food. He is also bp patient. Plz reliease the lowkdown that i goes to valsad Atleast he mentally not disturbed
Please allow train or flight from nadiad to Mumbai ,my daughter is stuck at nadiad ,I am worried , please try to understand our situation ,we are helpless, please
Hiii..I am a hostel student ,stucked in a hostel in other state so, please do make some provisions at least train or some other public transportation system in order to reach my own hometown to spend
my summer vacation with my parents ,brothers ,sisters ,and with my near and dear once. Thank you…..
It is my humble request to open the train routes for 2 days atleast , I’m student who come to study Kolkata but due to lockdown,stay on rent this time suffering too much difficulty, please help us want to go back to my home
Nisha what problem you are facing ? C you can share with me I can help you and if you know anyone who is facing any problem in Kolkata do let me know
Break down after 14/april for 3-4 days is inevitable and again impose, people prepare for it, break down is suggestible, otherwise people stranded become panic as they are food and shelterless now, consider imagining we being in that situation
I came here with my 3 kids and mother in law from bangalore. I m here in mumbai she went to navi mumbai to meet her brothers family . I m struck here in mumbai she is in navi mumbai my husband in bangalore. Govt should try to send people like us to our home town. Govt brought back rich people from foreign countries where risk was so high. And not helping us. The only people who r affected by this lockdown is poor and middle class people. Please start flight train or at least allow private vehicles for us to go. Hope these comments reach to our govt before any decision is made.
We are stuck in Goa and need to get back to the uk pls start up some flights after the 14th April so we can get home to our families my sister is also not well and needs medication a d medical care
Check uk gov website there is charterd flight from hethrow to goa im not siure on dated 8th april mumbai , goa , and delhi , 8, 10 , 11 12 . Just check gov.uk
8, 10, 12th goa hethrow chartered flight gov.uk
Flights should be made operative at least for a week so that the persons who are stuck up in other regions can reach home safely. A person residing at his own home can very well obey and adhere to lockdown policy that is of course beneficial for all our Indians. Thanks and Regards
Very poor management
Sorry, this is ridiculous. Why you people don’t think of the persons stranded in other states. Family is divided from 24th March and fighting lone battle. Foreigners and overseas residents are given priority by providing special flights.
Pl. allow intercity journey by private vehicle as I m stuck in Ahmedabad in my daughter place and at Baroda my husband who is a senior citizen n diabetic patient n his health is also not so good ..not able to cook .. struggling for daily needs .so allow me to go back baroda
Dear Sir, I am stuck in NAVI Mumbai since lockdown. My family is fighting lone battle in Hyderabad with two kids. You people has messed up entire country without proper planning and lack of security in Delhi. The bomb was in Delhi and you have closed entire country.
Now, foreigners and overseas residents are given priority by providing special flights. What about we who stuck in other states.
You are requested to allow people who stuck in other places and shift them to their family places. Then, do whatever you want to.
Dear Modi Ji, KCR Ji, Kejriwal Ji and Thakre Ji, I am stuck in NAVI Mumbai since lockdown. My family is fighting lone battle in Hyderabad with two kids. You people has messed up entire country without proper planning and lack of security in Delhi. The bomb was in Delhi and you have closed entire country.
Now, foreigners and overseas residents are given priority by providing special flights. What about we who stuck in other states.
You are requested to allow people who stuck in other places and shift them to their family places. Then, do whatever you want to.
I appealed to the authority to think about the people stranded different places . I came to my native place (WB) with my family to meet my near& dear (specially mother in law) for a short period from Bangalore leaving my only daughter there. My return journey planned on 24mar, again planned on 1 Apr both got cancelled due to lock down. I got reservation on 15 Apr again hoping lock down will be withdrawn but if it is extended condition of my daughter will be pathetic. So it is my humble request to the authority that the lock down may be continued but make some arrangements so people like me can go to their respective living places
My self working in pune got stuck in chennai in my native place
Sir, people are stuck across state borders who have come to visit relatives and for other purposes. They are running out of money and resources. Please resume interstate travel for 2 days so people stuck can get back to their home and maintain a peaceful lockdown everywhere.
We all have to urge PMO india to allow 2 or 3days of travel arrangement in a phased manner to all who are struck in different part of the country to be united with their beloved ones. It is unacceptable to call for lockdown unprepared without any exit strategy.
We don’t know what will the situation in the coming days, hence we request GOI to plan an evacuation of people struck in different part of India to their respective native places…Question is you can bring NRI suspected/affected from outside India but can’t allow or give an opportunity to the resident indian to be with their family??double standards??
We all are okay for a measure where All travellers should will be home quarantined for 14days.
First and foremost announcing the lock down of country without prior intimation information and preparation was a great mistake ( like note ban fiasco)
In this Crises situation one would prefer to be with the family members and take care of them. Nobody can stay away from family’ for more than 2 weeks with sorrow everywhere.
Also, nobody would prefer to go on a jolly trip to visit relatives and places.
So people should be allowed to go back their family members after verifying facts
Hi iam a resident of kerala and i struck at andhrapradesh for past 21 days
Please open the train travel 2 or 3 days I’m stuck in West Bengal so ! Please open the travel
Lockdown is good option to destroy the spread of covid 19 completely, but what about job, how will one survive when company is removing employees and not paying even 15 days salary. There should be complete lockdown for a month, where only 2 hours relaxation be given to buy necessary items daily or provide option of home delivery in red zone areas to prevent spread of covid 19. Kindly take appropriate decision Modi ji.
I stuck in Hyderabad and My family is there in Bangalore, Please allow transportation to work atleast oneday after 14th April. Sothat people can reach their homes
Sir hum pr daya karo aur aap apni trhse best management kr ke travelling suru korlo plz… Iske bad dus saal k liye lockdown kat dena….
Sir, plz do din ke liye hi sahi pr travelling suru karwa do.. sir last four moths mai apni family se dur hu.. ab mere pas koi rasta nahi ..maine bhut try kiya ki mai khudko sambhalu pr yaha itne difficulties aa rahe ki mai rone ?ke sivay kuch nhi kr sakti.. sir plz hamari problems samjke or traveling ke liye best management kr ke 2 din ke liye hi Sahi pr traveling suru kar do sir aur mere jaise problem wale logo ko shi salamt unke ghar.pohochane do plz… I request you sir I hope you understand our fellings ????
plssss open transport at least for 3 to 4 days so we will go to our home.we are students even we don’t have money for survival
I m stuck in chennai and my home is in gurgaon. Plz open the flights. Its difficult to stay alone in hotel in lockdown. Plz open the flights.
Sir,
I have come to bangalore for business purpose on 21st March 2020.
Been stuck here and my family stays back in hyderabad, my 82year Old Father and my family i have too look after..
Been almost 19days now..even for paying accomdation and food its becoming harder…have booked my train ticket online…kindly request youll to open the trains for 3-4days.
So people like me who are stuck in different parts of the country who might be facing same situation like this..
Kindly open the lockdown and let people who need to be with their loved ones…go back.
My Sincere request to PM Modiji kindly look into this issues which is very important and serious.
Hope i and people like me get to go home
To the attention of GOI. Please allow at least for 2 days after 14th April. My daughter is at Nagpur, after resigning her job. She has booked a flight ticket for 16th April. Kindly relax for at least 2 days for people to go to their respective places.
No body is even bothered and wants to understand the difficulty of the people. We have to reach our home sand we need necessary arrangements. Please open the railways and Airways for couple of days and let people travel. I need to reach my home in Chennai and government has to answer to our plight.
Please make open for 2-3 days only . People stranded in other states.
My son along with 300 other students are stranded in Mauritius. Kindly allow these kids who went for internship to retur. Their hometown
I m also stuck in chandgarh. I m from himachal pradesh. Please open it for 1-2 days.
Sir we respect your decision but what about those who are stuck outside their homes …pls allow trains for 1 or 2 days so that we can reach home ..m stuck in jammu want to go back to delhi
To contol the virus it will be benefited that no interstate movements be allowed till further the disease controlled only relaxes on agricultural medicine and essential commodities,
Sir we struck in Visakhapatnam and we are from Kharagpur, so please grant atleast permission to go home, u have capable to take people from Italy to India then we r in India. If u wont give permission to the people who struck like us .then ur government only care about rich not middle class . u gave a rule without any intimation after that also we followed but now u should have to give permanent
Sir I’m medical officer stuck in Mumbai with my kids at my mom’s home.my husband is in Kanpur.i m posted at Kanpur.sir plz open trains or flghts
Dear sir,
We respect your orders but we request to reopen the services such as railway or Airways for two to three days so that Students who are stuck in some other countries can reach their home.
Thank you
Situation, after the lockdown is lifted, will go out of control if transportation is opened. Movement from one place to another will see massive spread of the virus. Hence, I don’t support any movement or a break of even a single day after 14 April.
It is right, but let us think about who are stranded for more than 20 days outside from their places with kids patients and aged people, if allowed transportation for 2 to 3 days by strictly implementing rules and penalti-es, may be better choice
आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री जी मै आपसे विनती करता हू की ४ से ५ दिन के लिये LOCKDOWN हटा कर सबको अपने घर, या जहा कही जाना हो ,या जो भी कुछ खरिदना हो, ऐसे कुछ अती आवश्यक काम करणे की अनुमती दे . उसके बाद आप corfue भी लगा दे, तो इसका नातिजा अच्छा ही आयेगा औ र सभी लोग नियमो का पालन कर सकते हैं ! आपका बहुत बहुत धनयवाद .
जय हिंद जय भारत जय महाराष्ट्र .
Respected sir please give a relaxation for 2 days it least so that people that stuck away from they home can reach back we are also stuck away from home.
Pl allow break in lockdown for 5 days to reach native place by public transport with reserved accommodation, domestic flights , own transport.
i am stuck in tripura and i want to go back to my family in kolkata..please help me
please open domestic flights for2or 3 days i m stuck in punjab m from mumbai please help
People stuck at various places. Gov should allow them to reach their home.
Dear sir,
We respect your orders but we request to reopen the services such as railway or Airways for two to three days so that people who are stuck in some other places can reach their home.
Thank you
Plz open the all travel routes just for 3-4 days. My husband in delhi he is alone .he could not make food. He is also debatis patient. Plz reliease the lowkdown that i goes to delhi… Atleast he mentally not disturbed
I came to Bangalore to see my father as my father was in ICU due to some critical health issues . I got struck in Bangalore from last 21 days . My family is in Hyderabad and they are struggling to do their regular activities and my humble request to start flights from Bangalore to Hyderabad at least couple of day’s from 25tj April .
Plz Don’t open lockdown there is a huge chances of viruses spread..plz stay home be safe..