Indians evacuated from abroad will need Aarogya Setu: MHA

Stranded Indians who will be brought back by special flights from abroad will have to download 'Aarogya Setu' mobile app and detailed procedures for this entire evacuation operation will be issued, a home ministry official said on Tuesday.

Punya Salila Srivastava, a joint secretary in the Union home ministry, also said the Indian Railways has run 62 special trains for stranded domestic workers till now that carried an estimated 70,000 people.

Thirteen more such trains are expected to run on Tuesday, she told reporters during a daily briefing on the lockdown measures.

Talking about the evacuation plan for Indians stranded abroad, Srivastava said embassies in various countries are preparing the list.

This (evacuation by air or naval vessels) facility will be on payment basis, she said.

Non-scheduled commercial flights are being arranged and this operation will begin from May 7 in a phased manner.

"Passengers will be screened before boarding a flight and only asymptomatic travellers will be allowed. Every passenger will have to follow the guidelines issued by the health and civil aviation ministries," she said.

"Travellers will have to register for 'Aarogya Setu' app upon reaching their destination. They will be tested medically and concerned state governments will keep them in hospitals or in institutional quarantine on payment basis," she said.

State governments are being advised to prepare for testing and quarantine of such passengers and their transportation. The ministry of external affairs and civil aviation ministry will issue details in this context, the officer said.

Srivastava also reiterated the national directives that are required to be followed during the ongoing lockdown period.

In public places it is mandatory to wear face masks, keep 'do gaz ki doori' (a distance of two feet), spitting will be a punishable offence, consumption of liquor, 'paan', tobbaco is prohibited, social distancing is essential at shops and not more than five people should assemble at any such facility, she said.

During a wedding function, not more than 50 people are allowed and not more than 20 people can participate in a funeral. Social distancing should be ensured during these events too, she said.

At workplaces, arrangements for thermal scanning, hand wash, sanitisers and masks should be made.

At offices and in office transport, social distancing should be ensured and there should be adequate difference of time in work shifts. Lunch breaks should be allowed at different times so that social distancing is ensured, Srivastava said.

She added that it will be the responsibility of organisation chiefs to get their employees registered on 'Aarogya Setu' app, developed by the government to check coronavirus cases.

Workplaces should be sanitised at regular intervals. Details of nearest COVID-19 treatment hospital should be kept at the workplace along with a place identified for quarantine.

Also, large meetings should be avoided and cleanliness and hygiene training should be imparted.

"We hope that by following all these measures we will be able to break the COVID-19 chain," she said.