Around 250 buses from Uttar Pradesh on Friday reached Kota in Rajasthan to pick up stranded students and drop them to their native districts, confirmed officials adding that Rajasthan government has also kept its 100 buses ready which shall ply to drop them to their places if required.
Hariom Gurjar, PRO, Kota said, "Around 9,000 students from UP who were preparing for different competitive examinations in Kota are being sent home in the wake of lockdown imposed in the nation. Six pick-up points have been created in the state near their coaching centres where administration is helping these students to reach. Each bus will accommodate a minimum of 30 students."
Food packets, water bottles, masks and sanitisers have been given to these students. They are being accommodated district-wise in the buses. For example, all Agra-based students are accommodated in one bus, Muzzafarnagar students are in one bus and same goes for other districts, he said.
These students are being screened by doctors here and then shall be allowed to board the buses. Meanwhile, UP government has offered to send more buses if more sitting capacity is required, Gurjar said. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday said that the same process can also be adopted for students of other states if their state governments permit their entry into the state.
In a tweet, he said, "As the UP govt called back students of UP living in #Kota #Rajasthan, it can also be done for students from other states. Students in Kota can be sent to their home states on the consent of the concerned state govts so that these young boys & girls do not panic or feel depressed."
Earlier in morning, a comprehensive meeting was called by Gehlot with district officials to chalk out an elaborative plan from where the students need to board the bus and what all stuff needs to be sent along with them, confirmed officials. The stranded students in Kota who were preparing for different entrance examinations were running a Twitter campaign #sendusbackhome since the last two days.
Earlier, the state government had okayed their proposal to send them back home, however, Bihar government refused their entry in their native state due to which the proposal was withdrawn.
