the goan I network
MARGAO
After a scary Wednesday, day one of the arrival of passengers from Delhi at the Margao railway station brought a huge sigh of relief for everyone, including the health, the police and the district authorities.
While the 15 passengers, majority of them Goans, heaved a sigh of relief after finally reaching home when the Rajdhani chugged in at the railway station, a sense of relief descended on the authorities by Thursday evening as the Covid reports of al passengers tested negative.
Hospicio Medical Superintendent Dr Ira Almeida informed that the test reports of the 15 passengers came negative, adding that they have been stamped on their hands for 14 days home quarantine.
The Delhi-Trivandrum Rajdhani Express brought 15 passengers from the national capital to Goa, including two passengers from Karwar and Castle Rock “ a naval official and a railway officer respectively.
As the Goan passengers disembarked at the Margao railway station, it was finally homecoming for them after remaining stranded for over a month and a half in the national capital.
A young Goan girl Antara Bide, working for the National School of Drama, New Delhi, was expected to be with her parents in June. But the situation in Delhi and the lockdowns that followed left her with no option but to return to her native place. “We had no problem in having access to groceries and food, but travel was a big issue,” she said.
Another young girl, Poonam, who was stranded in Delhi when she had gone there for some work, was also relieved to be home.
A young lad from Ponda, Shubham Chowgule, a mechanical engineer by profession, said, “I am happy to be back home after being stranded in Delhi for nearly two months,” he added.
A Navy personnel Vikash Dara, who alighted at Margao, was to proceed to Karwar by road. Returning to join duties, Vikash said he had gone home to Rajasthan before the lockdown came into force on March 25.
Another lady passenger had gone to Delhi with her relatives as one of the male members was supposed to undergo some course. “We were stuck in Delhi because of the lockdown. Happy to return home,” she added.
After the health team took their swabs at the station, the 15 passengers were all taken to the Multipurpose hall, where they were served a meal. They were told that they will all head to their destinations if their tests come negative.
