There has been a huge hue and cry over the safety and return of Kashmiri students stuck in various Indian states and also in various countries but Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary decided to take the challenge head-on to ensure every single student reaches Srinagar safely. In his endeavor he has finally succeeded amid prayers and praises from the students who reached their homes safely amid challenging times of Covid-19.Witnesses told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that a large number of students evacuated from Delhi, Gurgaon, Chandigarh expressed gratitude to Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary for arranging buses for them to move back home after a distressed 45-day long period of uncertainty and hopelessness as they were stuck in various parts of country and abroad.The students belonging to various districts who reached TRC Srinagar last evening and today morning, including two groups of medical students and others from various institutions apart from some IT professionals. They said that DC Srinagar promptly took up the matter of arranging buses for them with the higher authorities and also for movement passes for which he deserves applauds and praises.The distressed students told KNO that many of them would not have been able to reach homes given the non-availability of buses and extremely high rates of fare being charged.
“DC Srinagar arranged 11 buses from students from various areas of capital region and organised them into groups for movement. Permissions were granted by J&K Resident Commission through local District Magistrates,” said a visibility happy group of students while landing at TRC here.Pertinently, each 45 seater bus carried 25-26 students in a group to maintain social distancing as per the policy of Delhi Government. More than 260 students arrived back in these buses. Some of them remained stuck between Kathua- Samba for a long time in view of heavy rush and screening of inbound passengers.Arriving at TRC Srinagar they expressed gratitude to DC Srinagar for his personal efforts to make it happen which was otherwise getting tough in view of non-availability of buses and scattered students. They said that WhatsApp groups of students were made and DC was added in groups to facilitate . These students belonged to several districts including Srinagar, Bandipore, Anantnag, Budgam. Pulwama and Kulgam.“Each bus costs Rs 1.30 lakh while as 11 buses organized so far,” official sources said. “The DC Srinagar is also in touch with students in some other cities like Jaipur and Meerut for evacuation.”It is pertinent to mention that 500 students arrived from Bangladesh in 3 flights while as 4th flight on special request of J&K Govt stands scheduled for March 19. Officials said that bulk tickets were booked by DC office Srinagar to make it convenient for students in view of cumbersome booking process leading to failure of payment and other online payment issues and coordination.“The students have been accommodated in several hotels of Srinagar while as DC Srinagar has overseen their arrival and arrangements,” they said— (KNO)