Many passengers, who arrived on the first train from Delhi to Bengaluru this morning, have alleged that the authorities did not inform them about institutional quarantine while booking tickets. They only got to know of it after they boarded the train at Delhi.
The confusion and anger played out at the station as passengers started protesting when officials here insisted that they undergo institutional quarantine. Many of them refused pointing out that they did not have the financial resources to afford a hotel room for 14 days.
Manoj Singh, one of the passengers, said: “We are in distress. While boarding the train no one informed us about institutional quarantine. After reaching Bengaluru, officials are insisting that we quarantine ourselves at designated hotel rooms. Not all of us can afford hotel accommodation. Even if it is ₹2,000 per day, one has to pay close to ₹28,000 for quarantine. Just imagine the plight of families with children.”
Lack of coordination between State governments on rules and protocols played a part in the confusion.
Prakruti D. from Gwalior, who travelled with her mother to the city as she works here, boarded the train from Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh. “I got a pass from the Madhya Pradesh government. We were told that we should compulsorily quarantine ourselves at home. It was only after we boarded the train that we learned otherwise,” she said.
Long wait time at the station, no social distancing
Many families had to spend hours in the waiting room at City Station, and some posted videos of the lack of social distancing during interactions with the police, health and civic officials on the site.
“When we raised objections, we were asked to sit in a waiting room for more than three hours. No social distancing was maintained,” said one passenger. Many alleged that they were not provided any food.
Ms. Prakruti pointed out that the train pulled into City Railway station at around 7.30 am. “We were not provided with breakfast but were asked to remain in the waiting room,” she said.
Another passenger Ankit Jain, a Bengaluru resident who was in Secunderabad during the lockdown, said, “I have ailing parents and officials here are saying that they are helpless and that we have to either pay and get quarantined or opt for government quarantine or go back to Secunderabad. This is unfair and unacceptable.”
“Had I known institutional quarantine was compulsory, I would not have returned to Bengaluru,” he added.