Sixty-five more Bhutanese vehicles stranded in the workshops in Jaigaon were brought into Phuentshogling today. Following the closure of international borders and lockdown in India, the Bhutanese vehicles under maintenance in Jaigaon workshops were stranded there.
The government has facilitated in bringing in more than 165 vehicles from Jaigaon in four phases.
To prevent the import of the virus, the Indian drivers drop the vehicles till the parking space near the main gate. They are then sent back without contacting anyone. BAFRA officials disinfect the vehicles, and after 20 minutes, the owners again have to disinfect the vehicle and drive home after waiting for another twenty minutes.
Purna Prasad Sharma, a resident of Phuentshogling whose car was brought in today, thanks the authorities for arranging this service to bring in the stranded vehicles. “I kept my car in the workshop in Jaigaon for denting and painting. It was about to complete when the lockdown happened in India. Since then it has been in Jaigaon. I then registered with RSTA and today I am happy that I got my car after over three months,” he said.
Road Safety and Transport Authority, police, health and BAFRA officials are coordinating with the officials from across the border to bring in the stranded vehicles.
Tila Maya Sharma, the Regional Transport Officer with the RSTA in Phuentshogling, shares how the arrangement works, “people register with us first. We then discuss with the task force for COVID-19 here and bring in the vehicles. We shall continue to provide the services in the same manner hereon. So, if people have vehicles stranded there, even if they can’t come in person, they can register with us through a phone call. We are here to help.”
Hundreds of vehicles enter and exit the country from Phuentshogling daily. The safety protocols are strictly being followed at the entry points.
Sonam Penjor
