Passengers coming to city from abroad will be quarantined; 4,000 Tablighis to be released

The Delhi government on Wednesday issued guidelines for the screening and handling of passengers on their return to the city as per which they will be isolated in a paid facility for 14 days, while 4,000 Tablighi Jamaat members who have completed their required quarantine at different centres were ordered to be released.

Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain issued an order which also states that Tablighi Jamaat members who are named and needed in investigation in the Nizamuddin incident will be sent to Delhi Police's custody.

In a bid to restart operations in industrial areas, which have been under lockdown since March 23, a few district magistrates also issued detailed guidelines for opening of units and in situ construction with no outside workers.

It has also prescribed downloading of the 'Arogya Setu' mobile app by all workers and employees for alerts on proximity of coronavirus positive persons.

The government also issued guidelines for the screening and handling of passengers on their return to the city airport from abroad in repatriation flights amid the COVID-19-induced lockdown.

In an order, the Delhi heath department said this is in view of the planned phased return of Indian nationals stranded abroad by the Ministry of External Affairs in coordination with the Indian Missions overseas.

The order issued by the Delhi health secretary said the guidelines have been issued to mitigate the possibility of spread of COVID-19.

Passengers returning to Delhi airport will be quarantined in a paid facility for 14 days from their date of arrival, the order said.

Air India will operate 64 flights from May 7 to May 13 to bring back around 15,000 Indian nationals stranded abroad amid the COVID-19-induced lockdown, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said on Tuesday.

On the release of Tablighi Jamaat members, officials said, "All others need to be sent back to their home states. For this, Delhi government's home department has been asked to get in touch with resident commissioners of the states."