Even if one passenger in a bogie on a train tests positive for COVID-19, all co-passengers in the bogie would be institutionally quarantined for a week, according to a protocol framed by the Tamil Nadu government.
This protocol kicked in on Thursday night when the Rajdhani Express special train from Delhi arrived in Chennai Thursday night. Chennai will receive another Rajdhani Express on May 16.
Passengers on the same bogie as COVID-19 positive person (to be declared after due testing by TN government), during their train journey from the national capital, would be "put to institutional quarantine in their [respective] district, for seven days, followed by home quarantine at their place of stay for 14 days," the protocol issued by Chief Secretary K. Shanmugam stated.
If all the passengers in a bogie tested negative, all of them would be sent to home quarantine in their respective district for 14 days. On Wednesday evening, the Tamil Nadu government framed a protocol for testing and quarantine of passengers coming to Chennai Central on trains from Delhi on May 14 and on May 16.
The Railways was required to communicate to the passengers traveling on these trains the choice of quarantine facility arranged by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), collect details and give them to GCC for making adequate arrangements.
As per the protocol, each bogie would be opened one after another and exit made available through only one door. If any passenger showed symptoms, he/she will be taken to the treatment facility.
After the screening, GCC authorities would guide them to one or two exits -- A or B. While A is for free government quarantine, B is for paid hotel accommodation. Buses (each with 25 passengers) would take these passengers to their choices.
At the quarantine facility, dinner would be made available to the passengers. "In the morning, swab will be taken for all the passengers, who are quarantined, through a queue system, room-by-room, duly following social distancing norms."
After the results were received, any passenger, who tested positive would be taken to the treatment facility and who tested negative would be taken to their respective districts by buses arranged by the State government.
