“The buses will leave from Kota on Thursday morning,” the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) official informed, adding that only 20 students will be allowed to board in one bus.
Dhule| At least 70 State Transport (ST) buses left from Maharashtra’s Dhule on Wednesday to bring back students stranded in Rajasthan’s Kota due to lockdown imposed to curb Covid-19 spread, an official informed.
The ST buses left from northern Maharashtra’s Dhule depot and will reach Rajasthan on Wednesday night, the official further added.
“The buses will leave from Kota on Thursday morning,” the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) official informed, adding that only 20 students will be allowed to board in one bus and the buses will halt at two to three places for food breaks.
A number of students from Maharashtra study in Rajasthan’s Kota to prepare for various competitive examinations after the 12th standard.
The official also said that due to the long distance of the journey, two drivers have been provided for each bus and a van will go along with the envoy of buses to help if there is any breakdown of buses during the travel.
“On return journey from Kota, the buses will ferry students to their respective districts,” he further said.
Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab in a tweet late on Tuesday Night said, “1780 students from Maharashtra are stuck in Kota, Rajasthan due to lockdown for precaution against Covid-19. As directed by Hon’ble CM Shri. @OfficeOfUt, 92 buses of MSRTC fleet will Leave on 29th April 2020from Dhule”
On being asked, an MSRTC official said that earlier there were 92 buses that were supposed to be sent. But some districts like Paigad and Beed sent their private buses to bring back students from Kota.
A senior official from Maharashtra Disaster management department said that on arrival the students and their parents will be medically checked and will undergo the compulsory 14-day home quarantine.
The Maharashtra government took the decision to bring back students after the uncertainty over the lifting of the lockdown since there are significantly active cases in some cities.
In a similar move earlier this month, the Uttar Pradesh government had also rescued the students from Kota.
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