Delhi Government Making Arrangements to Bring Back Students from Kota: Arvind Kejriwal

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said the Delhi government is making arrangements to bring back students of the national capital who are stranded in Rajasthan's Kota due to the lockdown imposed to control the spread of coronavirus.

The government has started working on the modalities to bring back the students from Kota and Transport department has been in contact with private buses operators needed for the purpose, a government functionary said.

The chief minister tweeted, "Delhi govt is making arrangements to soon bring Del students back home From Kota."

The officers of Delhi government are in talks with their Rajasthan counterparts, deliberating on the evacuation plan.

A list of the stranded Delhi students is being prepared. The estimated number of such students is around 1,000, said the official.

Shyamlal Gola, president of All India Luxury Bus Association claimed that the Delhi government's Transport department has asked for buses from them.

"We have been asked to get 30 buses ready by Friday morning. The buses are being sanitised but the government needs to ensure that adequate measures are taken for the safety of the bus staff," Gola said."

The government has sought help of private bus operators as all the DTC and Cluster buses in Delhi run on CNG and can not cover long distances without refuelling.

Besides parents of the students stranded in Kota, BJP's Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri had also written to Kejriwal, asking him to take urgent steps to bring back stranded students.

Several states including Uttar Pradeh, Maharashtra and West Bengal have decided to bring back students of their state stranded in Kota.

On Wednesday, at least 70 state transport buses left from Maharashtra to bring back students stranded at Kota, the coaching hub for engineering and medical aspirants.

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