MHA allows interstate movement of migrant workers, students and tourists

As the second phase of the lockdown is scheduled to end on 3 May, the Ministry of Home Affairs included the following in the consolidated revised guidelines for strict implementation by Ministries /Departments of Government of India, State/Union Territory Governments and State Union Territory Authorities: Due to lockdown, migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other persons are stranded at different places. As per the revised guidelines, MHA allows the movement of these migrant workers, students and tourists.

Allows movement of persons:

In an attempt to ease the lockdown and help the stranded individuals, the MHA has decided to allow the movement of migrant workers and other persons under the following conditions.

a. All States/ UTs should designate nodal authorities and develop standard protocols for receiving and sending such stranded persons. The nodal authorities shall also register the stranded persons within their States/UTs.

b. In case a group of stranded persons wish to move from one State/UT to another, the sending and receiving States may consult each other and mutually agree to the movement by road

c. The individuals would be screened and those found asymptomatic would only be allowed to proceed

d. Buses shall be used to transport a group of persons. The buses will be sanitized and shall follow safe social distancing norms in seating.

e. The States/UTs falling on the transit route will allow the passage of such persons to the receiving State UT

f. On arrival at their destination, such person(s) would be assessed by the local health authorities. They will be home-quarantined unless the assessment requires keeping the person(s) in institutional quarantine. They would be kept under watch with periodic health check-ups.

Mentioning that according to the new guidelines, the MHA allows the movement of migrant workers, tourists, students, and other stranded individuals, the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Home Affairs tweeted that all these persons should be medically screened and kept in home/institutional quarantine on arrival.