Over 700 Meghalaya citizens are stranded in other states and seven abroad following the stoppage of air and rail services because of the outbreak of Covid-19.

The state government has received several calls and messages from its citizens staying outside for work or studies after it reached out to them since the nationwide lockdown last week.

A senior government official on Monday said 1,285 citizens, including students, have contacted them so far. Of them, while 496 have opted to stay back at their respective work place/institute/hostel, 26 returned via Guwahati airport till March 24. Buses were arranged to bring back those who returned, the official said.

However, 763 citizens are still stranded in around 25 states, including Maharashtra, Assam, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Arunachal Pradesh, Bengal, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Manipur, Nagaland, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Around seven citizens from the state are stranded in the Philippines and Dubai, the official said.

The Centre had closed down the operation of flights and railways last week.

On Monday, the chief minister’s office said over 500 citizens stranded in Shillong were sent to Garo hills via Meghalaya Transport Corporation buses. “We are trying our best to help Meghalaya students/ working professionals studying or working in other states in coordination with the respective state governments,” the CMO said.

The official said the government was in touch with the stranded persons.

Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress President Richard M. Marak said he was informed by the All Guwahati A’chik Students’ Association that 30 students from Meghalaya, mostly from Garo hills, were stuck in Guwahati and not allowed to go out of Assam.

Education: In an order issued on Monday, the state education department extended the closure of all educational institutions from April 1-15. The 21-day nationwide lockdown will end on April 14. Earlier this month, an order was given to shutdown the institutions from March 17-31.