Dhanbad, April 13: The Dhanbad district administration has ordered mandatory COVID-19 tests for all passengers arriving at Gomoh railway station from Tuesday following a surge in coronavirus cases in many states, an official said.

The decision by the Dhanbad District Disaster Management (DDM) came after a similar move in Dhanbad station last month. Most of the trains ferrying passengers to and fro northern and western India from Howrah in the eastern side of the country pass through Dhanbad and Gomo stations in Jharkhand.

Passengers reaching Gomoh station, officially known as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Gomoh station, by trains will have to undergo test for COVID-19, Dhanbad Deputy Commissioner Umashankar Singh said. Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray to Address The State at 8:30 PM Today Amid Rising COVID-19 Cases.

"It is necessary to carry out hundred per cent testing of passengers of the special trains coming from different states," said Singh, who is also the Dhanbad DDM chairman. One medical officer, one health staff and a magistrate have been deployed in each of three shifts at Gomoh station, he said.

"Special arrangements have been made at both Dhanbad and Gomoh railway stations by the DDM so that passengers do not feel being harassed during the testing process," Singh said.

Dhanbad Civil Surgeon Dr Gopal Das said that as per the DDM chairman's order, passengers of all up and down special trains arriving at Gomoh would be screened through TruNat and RT-PCR test methods.

The DDM has also set up five COVID-19 care centres with 982 beds, including 90 ICUs, for the treatment of the infected people. Besides, the deputy commissioner has also reserved 50 per cent of beds at all private hospitals and corporate nursing homes in the district for this purpose.

District integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) Officer Dr Rajkumar Singh said that Gomoh station falls on the Grand Chord line where all major Howrah-bound trains stop.

"Moreover, the Railways has been running special trains for sending labours from Maharashtra and selected some stations across the country where those trains would stop. Gomoh figured in the list of stations," he said.

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