Mumbai: 450 kits for Covid-19 tests of 20,000 passengers arriving at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus

A handful of civic staff and cops are unable to manage a crowd of thousands. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Even as restrictions continue amid what looks like an abating second Covid-19 wave in the city, thousands of passengers arriving at LTT have been leaving the premises without the state-mandated screening or testing. While the BMC team at the station used to get 1,400-2,000 rapid antigen test kits earlier, it now gets only 450-500. In addition, not all passengers are screened and of those asked to wait for the process, many escape via the numerous exits at the station. On a visit to LTT on Wednesday at 2.30 pm, mid-day saw the Coimbatore Express arrive with hundreds of passengers from Karnataka, where Covid-19 cases have been rising alarmingly.

Around 16-18 trains arrive at LTT every day

During a visit to LTT on Wednesday around 2.30 pm, mid-day saw the Coimbatore Express arrive with hundreds of passengers from Karnataka, where Covid-19 cases have been rising alarmingly. However, the BMC team from L ward, their volunteers and a doctor did not check the passengers. Dr Rishi Raj, associated with the L ward, said, "We have been given a list of trains whose passengers need to be checked. The Coimbatore Express is not on the list. The BMC team, with around 12 volunteers and lab officials, scans 16-18 trains arriving from states like Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Goa, West Bengal, etc."

BMC's latest circular from May 24 states, "All restrictions that have been made applicable to persons arriving from places of ‘Sensitive Origins', will be applicable to anyone arriving from any part of the country into tho state."

Also Read: Covid-19: Mumbai sees 1,266 new cases, 36 deaths

Passengers evade screening

Many passengers who travelled via the Coimbatore Express did not have an RT-PCR report. "I was carrying a report but I lost my bag during the journey," said a passenger who refused to identify himself.

Another passenger said, "I consulted my doctor before coming to the city. We all are fine so we don't have any report. Nobody asked for the same." This passenger, too, refused to identify himself.

The BMC team from L ward at LTT on Wednesday. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Minutes later, a train arrived from Uttar Pradesh and the BMC team geared up and asked passengers to stand in a queue. Some of them had their temperatures checked and were stamped for home quarantine. However, mid-day saw most of the arriving passengers escape without screening or antigen tests. One of the passengers leaving argued that when social distancing is not followed, why should he have to wait.

Some passengers argued with the civic volunteers and didn't wait for screening. The station had only two-three cops managing the crowd. "Around 1,200-1,400 passengers are arriving in one train since the first week of May. The crowd speaks rudely with our volunteers and they don't cooperate with us. While we deal with one, many people leave without screening. Sometimes the crowd is too huge for us to manage. We need more police personnel to ensure everyone is screened," said Dr Raj. "Passengers who have a high temperature are asked to get rapid antigen tests done. My focus remains more on senior citizens and kids. But the crowds are too huge to manage," Dr Raj said.

‘Asked railway cops for staff'

"It's the responsibility of railway police to manage the crowd but they have not been cooperating. We have written to our superiors. They acknowledged our problems and wrote to the railway police at LTT to provide adequate personnel," said Dr Jeetendra Jadhav, Medical Officer, L ward, BMC. Dr Jadhav did not specify if the letter was written to the Railway Protection Force (RPF) or the Government Railway Police (GRP).

At Bandra terminus, with only one entry and exit, there's no scope for passengers to leave without screening. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

Around 15,000-20,000 people arrive at LTT every day and yet the antigen test kits available with the team are very few. "Initially, during the peak, we were getting around 1,400-2,000 rapid antigen test kits per day. But for the past few weeks, it has reduced to 450-500. So test those who are asymptomatic," said an official from L ward present at LTT.

‘Our testing is highest'

Dr Jadhav, however, claimed that this is wrong and that the ward conducting the highest number of tests. "On Wednesday itself, we did more than 2,900 tests and since March 23, more than 1.7 lakh rapid antigen tests have been done. Nowhere else has that number been matched," Dr Jadhav said.

What about other termini?

mid-day also visited Bandra terminus where 15-18 trains arrive every day. Here, things were better managed by railway police and the H West ward. Not a single passenger appeared to be leaving the premises without getting screened or tested. "Around 200-300 passengers arrive on each train. Many come with RT-PCR reports, they aren't tested. There is only one entry and exit and nobody can leave without proper screening," said Swapnil Parab, ward assistant, H ward.

At Dadar, the situation is similar though the number of trains arriving are lesser at six to seven daily. Shift in-charge Niranjan Govalakar of BMC's G North ward said that they are working in three shifts. "There is an in-charge for every shift. He is accompanied by five to six BMC employees, three lab technicians and five to six BMC security guards. Around 70-80 rapid antigen tests are being done every
day."

Inputs from Vishal Singh

12
No. of people in the BMC team at the station

03
No. of police personnel present at LTT during mid-day's visit