3,000 students from Kota en route home in UP govt's buses; thousands more unsure

Nearly 3,000 students stranded in Kota due to the ongoing lockdown left for their home in 100 buses sent by the UP government but another 7,000 were waiting for their turn in the Rajasthan city on Saturday.

The UP government had sent 250 buses to Kota on Friday, estimating the total number of students to be around 7,500, but more students gathered at the three boarding points in the city after learning about the travel arrangement.

Some of the students were accompanied by their parents.

Officials now fear the buses available could be inadequate to accommodate all the students willing to return home. But Kota Public Relations Deputy Director Hariom Gurjar told PTI that the UP government has assured them that more buses would be arranged if there is a shortfall.

The Kota administration had prepared the list of students based on information received from coaching institutes and did not account for those studying in the city without enrolling in any institute, officials said.

The 100 buses with around 3,000 students left for UP early Saturday, Additional Superintendent of Police Rajesh Mill, overseeing the exercise, told PTI.

The process to send the remaining students whose names are in the list is underway, Mill added.

Asked about the students who are not listed, he expressed the inability of the Kota administration in arranging more buses, saying, "It would not be possible at our level. The resources have to come from there (UP) and we can only cooperate and maintain social distancing while sending the students back home".

He said he "cannot comment" on what additional resources would be needed and who would arrange them.

The remaining 7,000 students largely belong to the Agra division, said Nitesh Sharma, a member of Allen Career Institute. "We have asked some students enlisted for departure to not move out of the hostels until more buses are arranged."