In the wake of steady increase in arrival of international flights to Tiruchi carrying stranded Indians, the district administration has given special permission to 36 hotels in the city to provide quarantine facilities to overseas returnees.
As per the Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) of the State and Central governments, the stranded Indians returning to their States have to be in quarantine for a week upon arrival. It has been made mandatory for them to subject themselves to quarantine before proceeding home.
To ensure better and safe accommodation facilities, the district administration has prepared a list of 36 hotels in different parts of the city. Only a few hotels in and around Central Bus Stand were enlisted initially.
With most international flights, carrying a majority of Indians belonging to Tamil Nadu, asked to land in Tiruchi, the district administration, which is under pressure to provide good accommodation to them, has reached out to more hotels in the city.
Collector S. Sivarasu told The Hindu that two or three international flights landed in Tiruchi almost every day. On an average, 150-200 passengers arrived daily and accommodation had to be provided for seven days. Hence, about 1,700 rooms were required and more htels had been roped in for the purpose. Two thousand rooms were identified in 36 hotels in the city. As a special gesture, hoteliers offered 40% discount from their base rates. The hotels and tariff had been notified to ensure transparency. Rooms were available from ₹900 to ₹2,500.
Upon arrival, swab samples were collected from passengers at the airport and sent for COVID-19 tests. Certified laboratories had set up screening tables at the airport to lift swab samples. After completing check out formalities, passengers would be taken to hotels of their choice. On the 5th day, they would be test again. If anyone tested positive, they would be sent to government hospital. Otherwise, on completing the seventh day of quarantine, they would be allowed to travel to their homes, where they would have to remain in quarantine for seven more days.
Mr. Sivarasu said a total of 6,561 passengers arrived in Tiruchi up to July 2 from 40 international charted flights since the lockdown. Of them, 89 tested positive for novel corona virus. Similarly 4,549 landed in Tiruchi from 72 domestic flights. Of them, 45 tested positive. Most of them returned home after being treated at K.A.P. Viswanatham Medical College Hospital.