The Jammu and Kashmir administration has launched a web portal to help its residents stranded in other parts of the country due to the novel coronavirus-induced lockdown, an official spokesman said.
The portal jkmonitoring.nic.in gives updates to those registered and also allows a person to check his application status for facilitating journey back home, he said.
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“The web portal has already been updated with the details of persons who have already registered through www.jktpo.in. Those who have registered can track the progress of their application,” the spokesman said.
While a large number of people from nearby states have returned to the Union Territory, there are many who are queued up for undertaking train journeys back home.
He said that “arrangements are being made for trains from various stations across the country”.
“Trains from different states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telengana, Andhra Pradesh, Assam (for the entire North East), Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, Gujarat, Rajasthan and many places in Uttar Pradesh are being planned over the next few days,” the spokesman said.
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He said more than one train is being scheduled from one station if the number of stranded persons is large.
The spokesman said as and when a person’s turn comes to board the train, he or she will be notified through SMS. Everyone will get accommodated and therefore, there is no need to panic, he said.
In addition to the web portal, a dedicated 24X7 COVID-19 helpline ‘0191-2466988’ has been launched. People can get information on arrangements made for their movement here too, he said.
To have regulated arrival to enable testing and to control the spread of COVID-19, the portal allows the government to issue authorisation for travel to individuals and groups as per the capacity.
Passes for such movement, including by road, are issued by districts magistrates as per home ministry guidelines.
The portal has received over 2,156 hits in a span of two hours with almost 50 per cent for downloading the authorization by the government of J&K, he said.
