Two students among 4 more test +ve, tally crosses 100
First passenger train arrives in Jammu since lockdown
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, May 14: Railways Ministry in coordination with Jammu and Kashmir Government would be extending its operations to more States including Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan etc for shifting stranded persons of J&K in the next few days while first commercial passenger train today reached Jammu Railway Station since the lockdown began on March 24 bringing 1018 persons of different parts of the Union Territory.
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While no ‘Shramik Special’ train reached Udhampur Railway Station today, District Magistrate Piyush Singla told the Excelsior that two trains from New Delhi and Nagpur (Maharashtra) will be reaching Udhampur tomorrow carrying approximately 2000 stranded persons. On Tuesday and Wednesday, four trains had reached Udhampur bringing 3900 stranded passengers from Karnataka and Goa.
Four more persons, all returnees from different parts of the country, today tested positive for COVID-19 including three in Ramban and one in Udhampur district taking tally of Corona patients in the Jammu region in three digits to 102 and number of active cases to 43.
Commissioner/Secretary Industries & Commerce Manoj K Dwivedi, who is Overall Incharge for management of trains at Udhampur Railway Station, told the Excelsior that in view of increased demand from some States the Government has decided to run two trains from each State, wherever required, to clear all stranded persons of the Union Territory.
“In the next few days, the trains will run from Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan,” Dwivedi said, adding there has been demand for running one more train from Karnataka and it will be conceded shortly. However, with the running of regular train from New Delhi for Jammu, the pressure has eased and stranded persons from the Union capital are taking that train.
Dwivedi said it may take more than two weeks to clear stranded people from different States in the trains.
Meanwhile, first commercial passenger train reached Jammu at 5 am today, ahead by 45 minutes, from New Delhi carrying 1018 passengers hailing from different parts of the Union Territory.
District Magistrate Jammu Sushma Chouhan and SSP Jammu Sridhar Patil besides senior Railways and other officers were present at the Railway Station to monitor arrangements and facilitate sampling and smooth journey of the passengers to their district headquarters.
An official statement quoting the District Magistrate said the administration has ensured social distancing and wearing of masks during boarding and de-boarding process of passengers from the train. The district administration has made elaborate arrangements for receiving the stranded people, she added.
Patil told the Excelsior that samples of all passengers for COVID testing were taken on their arrival at Jammu and they were shifted to their district headquarters for administrative quarantine. The residents of Jammu district were kept at the quarantine centres at various places.
He said the people who test negative will be sent for home quarantine.
Patil said an elderly person from Preet Nagar, Digiana who had died of COVID, was cremated at Shastri Nagar cremation ground today. His family members have been isolated and subjected to sample testing. Preet Nagar has been contained.
As reported, some people hadn’t allowed cremation of the Corona victim at Jogi Gate Cremation Ground yesterday.
Meanwhile, four more persons, all returnees from different parts of the country, today tested positive for Coronavirus in Jammu region including three in Ramban district and one in Udhampur district.
Lt Col Inam Danish Khan, Classified Specialist Microbiology in Command Hospital Udhampur, said four persons were tested positive in the hospital today including three from Ramban and one from Udhampur district. Their samples had been taken at Tikri, Udhampur, he added.
The three persons tested positive in Ramban district included two students, one of them a 23-year old female, were under administrative quarantine at two different places in Ramban after their arrival from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
The students tested Corona positive belonged to Cafeteria, Ramban and Chamalwas, Banihal while the worker, who was 56 year old, hailed from Ramsoo.
All of them were shifted to the Chest Diseases Hospital as they were asymptomatic. Their contact tracing is on for quarantine and sampling.
A 28-year old youth from Latti in Udhampur district, who had also returned recently and was under administrative quarantine in Udhampur, has tested Corona positive.
With four positives today, total number of Corona cases in the Jammu region today reached 102 and active cases to 43. A total of 57 persons have been treated and discharged from the COVID hospitals while there have been two COVID deaths in Jammu region so far.
Meanwhile, District Magistrate Samba Rohit Khajuria today also ordered opening of shops dealing with non-essential commodities in the district.
As per the order, stationery, mobile and fan/coolers (electrical) shops will open on Wednesday and Sunday from 8 am to 11 am while cloth shops will open on Wednesday from 12 noon to 3 pm.
Readymade garments and shoes shops will open on Sunday from 12 noon to 3 pm and manyari/cosmetic shops on Sunday from 4 pm to 6 pm.
The shops of medicines, testing labs, doctor clinics (all medical facilities), milk, vegetable, fruits, bakery and poultry shops will remain open daily with different timings. Grocery shops will open on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 8 am to 11 am.
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