Admn comes up with action plan ‘Unlock Chhattisgarh’

By Mukesh S Singh :

Raipur,

The multi-layered action plan made to phase out lockdown in Chhattisgarh

Even as the fear-stricken populace of entire Chhattisgarh continue to stay behind the closed doors of their homes amid the existing lockdown, State Administration have come up with a comprehensive action plan tag named as ‘Unlock Chhattisgarh’. The much-awaited move, is now waited by everyone with their bated breathe for past 17 days in succession while keeping keep their fingers crossed for lifting or relaxation in the present Covid-19 lockdown scenario in State and elsewhere in country. However, as of now, the Chhattisgarh Administration’s action-plan has just proposed a slew of measures for Transport sector as it syncs well with the vision of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s reiteration that the objective behind taking the decision to call off lockdown will be to strike a balance between daily life and livelihood.

Yet, the Chief Minister duly affirmed that the decision regarding calling off lockdown will be taken after Prime Minister’s video conferencing and later at the Cabinet meeting of State to be held on April 12. The PM had asked all the Chief Ministers to come up with action plan staggered lifting of lockdown for their respective States. The Chhattisgarh Government has already made its plan. A copy of ‘Unlock Chhattisgarh’ action plan, which The Hitavada has exclusive access, aims at bringing in places the proposed measures – including some limited exceptions and extended exemptions – for the Transport Sector, including public and goods services, in synergy with the timeline.

The plan sheds some light on what Chhattisgarh’s path out of its current lockdown could look like. However, the State Administration in the action plan has nowhere mentioned about any relaxtion of strict pandemic rules – so far – on their agenda.

Under this, the first and latest relaxation proposed under the action plan is slated for April 14 onwards by the allowing special buses for stranded people and labourers. Yet, the plan says that places such as airports where higher degree of control and sanitisation can be ensured may be opened first compared to other places like bus, railway stations. The action plan, deliberated at highest levels of the State Administration, has elaboration of strategy and rationale for it even as it asserts for minimising people to people contact. For this, it has been reasoned in the plan that people travelling over short distances are more traceable compared to long distance movement and so while unlocking priority would be on short distance and private travel over long distance and public travelling.

It has also been emphasised that transport modes with low spread probability like taxis/cars may be allowed first compared to bulk public carriages/buses or trains to minimise spread chances. Most importantly, the strategy says that States, districts, territories, zones with no spread should be spared of the pains first followed by general coverage of transport services barring specific isolated zones. All this would go concurrently while ensuring concomitant social distance and strict compliance of disinfection protocols. “Transport plan will need calibration with general unlock plan of State to minimise problems,” reads the last point under the ‘strategy and rational for it’ column of the action plan. Most important, the proposed measure with timeline says that the flight ban may be recommended for extension till May 7 and afterwards check-up of all arrivals with follow-up measure would be required.

However, the plan also proposed that if Government of India opens flight operations on April 15, then mandatory quarantine will be implemented for all arrivals for one month till May 7 at least. Contrary to this, the plan has strongly proposed to extend the general public transport like railways/trains to be extended till May 14 since crowds are too large to quarantine or even to do check-up. However, a provision to operated special train for stranded people with safety measures has been proposed, but with safety measures as described above. Moreover, the proposed measure also reads that it may allow two-wheelers, private cars and cabs to ply in non-infected districts from April 21 onwards with safety measures and mandatory record-keeping of all passengers. In addition to this, access controls using e-pass and other suitable means may be exercised till April 30 at least. Apropos, city buses, bus routes and autos may be allowed within non-infected district from April 25 onwards.

Quite strikingly, it has been proposed to allow inter-district transport between non-infected districts with no stoppages in infected districts – without serving infected town/villages) from May 7. Similarly, all intra-State transport minus infected zones within infected towns and villages, may also be allowed from May 10 onwards. Last, but not least, inter-State transport may be considered after evaluating situation on May 14. At present, there is stoppage of all inter-State and intra-State public and private transport including flights, railways, buses, cars and other means of public transport.

“The whole comprehensive has been deliberated upon several times and discussed in length and breadth in past few days by all the stakeholders including top bureaucrats and law enforcers ever since the PM asked all the Chief Ministers to come up with some action plan aimed at phase-wise lockdown in their respective states,” a senior administrative official told The Hitavada pleading total anonymity. He also cited that the plan is highly-classified and confidential till now and only few have been granted limited access to share or discuss upon its details.