KOCHI: With train services restarted in the state, the National Health Mission (NHM) and Railway Health Department have amped up screening of passengers boarding and deboarding trains at Ernakulam Junction railway station, the only station where trains stop in Ernakulam district. According to health officials, an average of 150 inter-state travellers arrive everyday. “As of now, there are no restrictions on local travellers from using the interstate trains plying across the state. 

To ensure that there is no spread of the pandemic among passengers, all incoming domestic passengers have to register on the Covid-19 Jagratha portal. Anyone arriving at the station with high temperature or symptoms is shifted to the hospital. Those who arrive at the South railway station from other states and have to undertake further journey in inter-district trains are made to travel in designated coaches,” said an official with the NHM. According to officials, there have not been any instances of Covid transmission among train passengers.

Capital city affected

Though the situation in Kochi is under control, local passengers boarding the special interstate trains from red zone areas are becoming a huge concern for the authorities in Thiruvananthapuram. According to officials, an average of five to 10 local passengers, who board the train from stations in the state, arrive in the capital daily on Netravati Express, the special interstate train transporting people from Maharashtra and other states that have several red zones. The issue has comezto the attention of the authorities. 

“As of now, we don’t have any plans for such passengers because as per the current rules, there is no stipulation to quarantine inter-district passengers. These people could turn into carriers if interventions are not made. We have informed the state government and the only way is to direct the railway authorities to not issue tickets to local passengers on these trains,” said a senior official with the Thiruvananthapuram district administration.