COVID-19 lockdown: 450 buses pressed into service by Ghaziabad admin to transport migrants

The Ghaziabad administration has pressed 450 buses into service to transport migrants from Bihar who are trying to reach their homes amid a country-wide lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus, officials said.

Ghaziabad District Magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey told PTI that the migrants who were passing through the district were asked to stay but many of them were adamant to go back to their villages.

He said to facilitate their journey 450 sanitized buses were provided to them.

The DM said more than 25,000 food packets, 20 quintal fruits, biscuits and water bottles were distributed to the migrant workers.

Meanwhile, officials said 1,039 coronavirus suspects are quarantined at their homes and the sector magistrates and volunteers are keeping a strict watch on them.

The left hands of all the suspects under home quarantine have been stamped by indelible ink so that they may be recognized easily if they try to mingle with others, the officials said.

They said 500 hundred beds are available in government and private hospitals of the district for isolation.

Ghaziabad SSP Kalanidhi Naithani said 114 barricades have been erected for checking the people loitering around.

The officer said 18,000 vehicles have been checked, of which 6,295 were challaned, 285 seized and Rs 19,00 was recovered as fines.

The SSP further said 839 people were booked under Section 188 (disobeying public servant's lawful order) of the Indian Penal Code on Saturday.

He said 2,289 vehicles have been permitted for emergency services.