Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, May 10: Amid lockdown, the students stranded in New Delhi have been left in lurch after the administration told them to arrange the buses for themselves if they are willing to go home.
Scores of students had some hope that their travel to home will be facilitated after the official list of around 1800 students studying in Delhi was put up by the administration; however, the move has not brought any relief to them.
The students told Excelsior over the phone that asking them to arrange the buses was beyond the logic as it was impossible to do that as of now amid lockdown. There was, they said, no possibility of moving out and getting anything arranged.
The students are studying in Jamia Hamdard, Jawahar Lal Nehru University and Jamia Milia. There are at least 400 such students who are looking to return home, but nothing appears to have been done so far.
“Initially, there was a lot of problem in getting in contact with the concerned officials, then they told us that they will not be able to provide them with the buses. If we could arrange the buses, they (officials) would provide them with the movement passes, but that’s ridiculous to say, how on earth can we do that right now,” said Saadat Shafi, a student from Jamia Hamdard.
The students said that they were even willing to pay for whatever means are arranged for them to return home-all they want is to go home. The students belong to several districts of Kashmir valley.
“The Government, as per the list that was put out, was supposed to facilitate the travel of 300 students per day from May 9, but I can tell you about 1813 such students in Delhi, not a single person has been sent home so far,” another student told Excelsior.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Government launched a massive exercise of bringing those stranded back to their homes-it included migrant labourers, students and pilgrims. A network of people tasked to facilitate the travel of these stranded people has been put in place.
The students said that they contacted the concerned officials in this regard but to no avail. “They are telling us that they will do whatever they can, that’s their answer,” the students said.
While the Nodal Officers designated for facilitating the travel of stranded people back home continue to remain inaccessible, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir Pandurang Pole told Excelsior the concerned officials are on the job. “They are on the job; they are coordinating for the arrangement of trains as well,” he said.
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