Vijayawada: 30,000 stranded abroad expected to return soon

Vijayawada: About 30,000 persons from Andhra Pradesh, who remain stranded in other countries due to Covid-19 lockdown for more than 40 days, are expected to return to their native places soon. These passengers, including migrant workers, employees, tourists and students will land at Gannavaram, Vizag and Tirupati airports. Thousands of workers, pilgrims, employees and students stranded in the foreign countries are eagerly waiting to return to their native places and the Union government is planning for massive airlift very soon. Of the 30,000 foreign returnees, about 20,000 may land at the Gannavaram airport.

The Krishna district administration is gearing up to shift the foreign returnees of the district to the quarantine centres. People belonging to West Godavari, Guntur and Prakasam will be sent to their respective districts in the buses. Krishna district administration will shift the foreign returnees to the quarantine centres for the 14 days. As per the national norms, 14 days quarantine is must for the returnees from other states or other countries.

Krishna district Collector A Md Imtiaz and Joint Collector K Madhavi Latha on Thursday conducted a review meeting with the officials of Gannavaram Airport and other departments in connection with the foreign returnees. Covid-19 tests will be conducted to the foreign returnees once every five days and later they will be house quarantined if they tested negative. If they tested positive for the Covid-19, they will be sent to Covid-19 hospitals for the treatment, said the collector. He informed that the foreign returnees can stay in the hotels on payment of charges, if they are willing to stay. He said the hotels will be made ready soon for the stay.

The airport officials are getting ready to receive the foreign returnees and separate parking will be arranged for Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and West Godavari districts. The foreign returnees have to go to their respective districts after their landing at the Gannavaram airport. The airport will be sprayed with disinfectants and other arrangements will be made, said Airport Director D Madhusudhana Rao.  Hoteliers also participated in the meeting and discussed what arrangements to be made for the foreign returnees and their stay in the hotels during the 14 days quarantine period.