Alert sounded as passengers slip out of airports to board trains
New Delhi, March 21, 2020:
In a bid to avoid the 14-day quarantine, international passengers slipping out of airports would no more find their way to trains to reach home as security at airports and at all major railway stations has been tightened.
A high vigil is being maintained on international and foreign returned Indian passengers boarding trains in metros across the country.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and its intelligence branch has intercepted several passengers, who in a bid to avoid the two-week quarantine, slipped out of from various airports and managed to board trains.
Citing a latest example, Director General of RPF, Arun Kumar told IANS that a passenger was intercepted on Assam border who slipped out of Bangalore airport and boarded a train to Sealdah. The passenger was intercepted when he further boarded Kanchanjunga Express from Sealdah to reach Guwahati.
"An FIR was registered against the passenger who tried to escape from Kolkata (on Kanchanjunga express). We are also taking action against our own officers and staff. A woman officer of the rank of Assistant Personnel Officer (APO) based in South Western Railways, Bangalore has been placed under suspension. The officer tried to hide her son in a Railway guest house. Her son had returned from abroad and was expected to be quarantined for 14 days," said the DG, RPF.
According to him, action was also taken against another railway officer in Agra who tried to withhold information relating to her daughter's travel plans. The daughter had escaped quarantine in Bangalore to reach her parents' place in Agra.
The railways had also restricted entry of visitors to Rail Bhawan, Divisional Headquarters and its other departments nationwide. Trains, platforms and restrooms are also being sanitised at regular intervals to prevent the spread of the disease.
(IANS)