Passengers are seen entering the Dimapur Railway Station on April 20. Despite the resurgence of COVID-19 cases, screening of passengers is yet to be restarted at the station. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | April 20
Despite the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Nagaland, screening of passengers in Dimapur Railway Station is yet to be restarted by the concerned State authorities. However, the railways authority is planning to start own screening process, it was informed.
This is pertinent as the station is one of the most entry points to Nagaland, catering many inbound travelers per day.
We are yet to receive any notification regarding such measures from the civil authority, officials at the station told The Morung Express Tuesday evening, indicating that it is usually the State authority that issues and implement such measures.
The officials, however, informed that the railways is starting the process on its own from Wednesday, adding, “We have received thermal thermometers today and will start the screening process from tomorrow.”
It must be noted here that at Dimapur Airport, another entry point to Nagaland, such measures are being re-implemented since last week. At the New Field Gate and Dillai Gate, while wearing of masks is checked, screening of inbound passenger is not being done.
Further, the Nagaland Government on April 9 also issued a new set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS) on April 9 for returnees and travelers entering Nagaland.
While there is no restriction on inter-State and intra-State movement, it stated that it is mandatory for every returnee/inbound traveler to register in the COVID Nagaland Visitors App and Aarogya Setu before entering Nagaland.
Every returnee/inbound traveler will be required to submit ‘self declaration forms’ while those opting for home quarantine will need to furnish ‘undertaking for home quarantine,’ and submitted through the nCOVID Nagaland Visitors App, at covid19.nagaland.gov.in or through WhatsApp to the respective district’s helpline numbers.
With effectively no mechanism to screen at one of the busiest intersections, it is uncertain whether such measures are being implemented at the ground level.
The Nagaland Government on April 19 also issued urgent measures for preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the State and tasked the respective District Task Forces (DTFs) to impose measures after taking into account relevant local factors.
