Over a month of lockdown following COVID-19 pandemic across the country, 200 and odd students from Telangana pursuing various courses in Delhi and civil services aspirants are spending sleepless night waiting for their early evacuation.
“We are on the verge of psychological breakdown and those staying in hotspots of 11 districts in National Capital Region are literally scared,” said Mohd Ashaq, a undergraduate student of Delhi University summing up the mood among the distressed students.
According to him, about 80 civil services aspirants stay in Karolbagh and Old Rajendra Nagar, where a number of coaching institutes are situated. “They are staying in hostels and paying guest accommodation and ever since the lockdown was announced, they are suffering a lot,” Mr. Ashfaq said, adding that they have approached the Nodal Officer for NCR designated by the Delhi Government to handle request from students, migrant workers and others for Telangana State.
Somarapu Nikhil Kumar, a civil services aspirant from Ramagundam, said their coaching in a Delhi institute was almost complete when the lockdown was announced. “We are trying to get in touch with students from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka also, who want to go back,” he said.
Primary concern
The desperate students told The Hindu on Sunday night that health was their primary concern as almost half of Delhi was declared as Red Zone. They said none of them have local guardians, relatives to take care in normal times. “We are helpless in emergencies and there is psychological backdrop of staying away from families,” they bemoaned.
B. Shravya, a resident of Bowenpally presently attending civil services coaching in New Delhi explained the hardships. “Most of us are staying in hostels and PG accommodation. After the lockdown, we have been confined to our rooms without any support. Those staying in Karolbagh and Old Rajendranagar are not getting the essential commodities also. The cost of living has gone up drastically. It is difficult for many of us to continue like this without concentrating on our preparation. We want Telangana government to bring us back to Hyderabad,” she pleaded.
A student, who is coordinating with the NCR administration said they received a call on Sunday morning that their request for evacuation has been accepted. “But, the Telangana government has to work out modalities on how all of us will be transported. Unless the TS government responds, we will be stuck in Delhi,” another civil service aspirant, who wished anonymity pleaded.
Pinning their hopes of the TS government, the students on Sunday drafted a letter to the Nodal Officer of TS, Sandeep Kumar Sultania hoping that their plea would be heard immediately.
