BHUBANESWAR: Bhutan Government operated a special flight on Thursday to evacuate its nationals from various parts of the country, including Odisha. Drukair - Royal Bhutan Airlines flight (293) - landed at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) here from Bengaluru at about 12.30 pm.
Official sources said 18 students of various educational institutes in Odisha, seven pilgrims and one Bhutan national working in the State boarded the special flight to Paro at 2 pm. “It is better to be evacuated as the number of Covid-19 cases are increasing in India and the number is very less in Bhutan,” said a youth who boarded the flight.
“I am excited as I will be able to meet my parents,” said a young woman. Out of the 18 students, at least 10 of them are pursuing different streams at a private educational institute in the State Capital, they added.
“All stakeholders like Customs, Immigration, Central Industrial Security Force and others extended their cooperation in smooth transition of the Bhutan nationals,” said BPIA Director, VV Rao. We ensured social distancing and proper cleaning at the airport when they boarded the flight, he added. Sources said about 85 Bhutan nationals had boarded the flight from Bengaluru before it reached Bhubaneswar.