After jet plane home, migrants quarantined for two weeks in Bihar

The flight covered the distance from Delhi to Patna in two hours but 10 migrants, excited about their first plane journey made possible by their employer, will have to wait two weeks to meet their families with authorities putting them in institutional quarantine. Delhi falls in a COVID-19 red zone and officials in Samastipur said the group would have to be in quarantine notwithstanding the medical fitness certificates issued before they left, Naveen Ram, one of the migrants, told PTI on Friday. The 27-year-old said he last saw his son in August, when he was just three months old, but having literally jetted his way to Bihar, the wait to meet him now stretches interminably.

"Our ‘malik’ had completed all the medical formalities for us. We have medical fitness certificates issued by Delhi authorities, but officials here told us that we all have to be kept in isolation," Naveen told PTI over phone from a quarantine centre in Samastipur. Pappan Singh, a mushroom farmer in Delhi, had sent his workers home in style, buying them air tickets to the Bihar capital, providing for a vehicle to taken them to Samastipur and arming them with medical fitness certificates from authorities in Delhi.

On Thursday, the group boarded the 6 am flight from Delhi, their first time on a plane, and landed at Patna around 8 am. Excited and full of anticipation at getting back to their village, they did not eat anything after leaving the airport and drove straight to Samastipur, Naveen said. They decided to first appear at the local block office in Khanpur in Samastipur, complete all the formalities necessary and then head home to meet their families. They didn’t know the decision would mean quarantine at an institution and also no food for 12 hours.

The group had come from Delhi, a "COVID-19 red zone", and it doesn't matter if authorities in the city had issued them fitness certificates, Khanpur Block Development Officer Kumari Chandrika told PTI. "We have orders from the (Bihar) government and we are just following it," she told PTI over phone.

Mahesh Ram, one of the members of the group, said they are ready to be quarantined at home. "We were so happy that they would meet our families after completing all formalities in Samastipur as we had all the fitness certificates. But our happiness quickly turned to sadness," Mahesh said. On Thursday, Pappan Singh deposited Rs 5,000 each into the bank accounts of the families of six in the group as they needed money.

"I am regularly in touch with my workers and asking them about their well-being. Yesterday, I sent Rs 30,000 to families of six migrants so they don't face financial problems," Pappan told PTI. Pappan had booked tickets worth Rs 68,000 for all 10 and given each Rs 3,000 in cash so they did not face any problems when they reach their home state.

He had completed all their medical formalities, in accordance with the requirements specified, so they have a smooth journey home..