Gautam Kumar Gupta
I am going to share my COVID-19 Quarantine experience with you all. I work with a US-based MNC in Noida and my hometown is Jammu. I was stuck in Noida ever since the government decided to initiate a lockdown to stop the spread of this pandemic.
For almost two and a half months, I was fending for myself in my rented flat in one of many vertical societies of Noida. I cooked, cleaned and worked a 9-hour job, learning to survive on my own and in the process becoming a ‘self-acclaimed’ accomplished cook.
I was extremely happy when the Aviation Minister announced resumption of domestic flights from May 25th. Getting a train booking had proved to be a cumbersome job and air travel being much safer than a 9-hour train journey were the main reasons for my joy.
I booked a SpiceJet Delhi-Jammu flight on 28th and started packing immediately. I travel light, so it took me 10 minutes.
The flight was for 8:20 am on 29th and I arranged for a private taxi to pick me up from my society at 5 am next morning. The driver was promptly at my society gate at 5 am and we zoomed ahead with no traffic.
I had taken two copies of my flight ticket. One for myself and other for the taxi driver to show on his way back at Delhi-Noida border. No one stopped us at the DND toll plaza and we reached the Airport at 5:45 am.
After a luggage disinfectant spray, a temperature check, Aarogya Setu app check, boarding pass check and a brisk walk to gate 42A, I was squarely in my seat in the airplane.
There was no social distancing, all three seats were occupied and the plane was almost full. The airline gave us a surgical mask, face shield and a few sanitizer sachets.
We landed before time at 9:30 am at Jammu Airport. We were swiftly disembarked and put in a line for COVID sampling. A quick nose swan later, I again found myself in a line to choose the type of quarantine facility.
The J&K administration gave us 2 options either go for a free govt quarantine facility or choose a paid hotel quarantine. I chose the paid hotel quarantine. I was already aware that air travelers were being sent to Katra for paid quarantine.
I didn’t know what Hotel they would send us to. There was a rumour that we were being sent to Country Inn, Katra. We were asked to sit in an electric low floor SRTC bus which looked recently acquired, supposed to carry 15 passengers.
After waiting for an hour for the bus to reach the desired number, we started our journey with a Police escort which accompanied us till Ban Toll Plaza. We crossed the Country Inn Hotel without stopping. It was then we realized that we were being sent to some other hotel.
We stopped at the Spiritual Centre of SMVDB where administration had set up a reception/base camp for incoming air passengers. We were greeted by a young and dynamic KAS officer, Rajinder Dhingra. I must say Mr. Dhingra was very professional, accommodating and receptive towards us and our queries. He explained to us the two categories of hotels that we could choose from.
Category AB which included Hotel Asia, Katra charging 2000 plus GST per day and category C which included Hotel Basera charging 1500 plus GST.
Twelve people including me chose Asia while 3 chose Basera. We were then moved to our Hotel which was 100 m ahead of the base camp.
We were greeted with another temperature check and were quickly checked-in. Most of us were awake since 5 am that morning and had a quick lunch followed by a nap.
The hotel was to provide us with 3 meals of a fixed menu. There was daal, a dry sabzi, 4 chapatti and some rice for lunch/dinner and puri aaloo for breakfast. The food was good and the rooms clean and comfortable. The hotel staff was courteous, prompt and always wearing a face mask. There was some talk among the ‘detainees’ that our test results would come the next day.
I woke up next morning when room service brought in breakfast. All our meals were served to us in our rooms, in disposable utensils wrapped in aluminium foil.
At around 11 am, the first list of test results was shared with a guy by ‘someone known’ to him via WhatsApp. My name wasn’t in it. Then came the second list shared to another guy by ‘someone known’ to him, again I didn’t figure in that list. A little perturbed, I went to the Hotel reception to inquire about whom to contact in case I needed some information about the test results. They gave me a number of someone in Katra Development Authority CEO’s office. I called and a lady picked up. I am not sure but I believe her name was Preeti. I asked her when were the reports expected. She assured me that we would receive our reports that day itself.
Again, this lady who didn’t know me, was very kind and patient. She gave me all the information I needed and acted in a caring and thoughtful manner, qualities which are often not expected of public servants these days.
I relaxed, made Tea and resumed watching a TV series on Netflix. At 4:30 pm she called me again and informed me that my test results had come back negative and I was free to go home.
She went on to inquire if someone would come to pick me up or would I need transportation back to Jammu. I requested her for transportation and 15 mins later, post check-out I was sitting in a mini bus along with 8 other people going back to my hometown.
An hour later I was in my home sipping my mom’s tea. The reason I really wanted to write this long thread was first to say thanks to all those Public Servants who have worked tirelessly and selflessly to facilitate the movement of thousands of incoming natives stuck outside.
And to thank the administration which has been in the forefront in tackling this menace of COVID-19. Doctors, nurses, sanitation workers, Public Servants are going above and beyond on a daily basis and managing this Pandemic brilliantly.
J&K police has always been an example of courage and valor but we all saw their compassionate and humane side in these difficult times. I have seen Delhi, Haryana and U.P and I hear about Maharastra and Gujarat, in comparison our state is leaps and bounds ahead.
(Gautam Kumar Gupta shared his quarantine experience with his followers on Twitter. This story is based on his tweets)
