CHENNAI: Over 350 Indians were were brought back to the country in two special Air India flights from the United Arab Emirates as part of Vande Bharat Mission on Saturday.
Initially, the first flight was expected to land at 8.10 pm and the second one after midnight. However, since the flights are unscheduled and they have to undergo checks for various parameters, the arrival of the aircraft got delayed, said airport sources.
Both the flights carried 179 and 177 passengers respectively.
After the aircraft landed at Chennai airport, a total of 15 to 20 passengers were allowed to disembark at a time as the airport followed social distancing at aerobridge and immigration counters. Thermal scanners were used to scan the passengers.
Chennai airport sources said that three sites have been identified wherein the passengers will be shifted as per categorisation.
According to official sources, the passengers have been classified and rooms were allotted to them. A section of passengers were taken to Vellore Institute of Technology campus while others were given standard rooms at Royal Regency, Periyamet, OYO Town House, at Raja Bather Street in T Nagar, OYO Town House at Unnamalai Street, T Nagar and OYO Town House, at Valluvar Kottam. Premium passengers were moved to Hilton Hotel.
Through the Vande Bharat Mission, India will send 64 flights and three Navy ships to repatriate Indians stranded abroad due to the coronavirus pandemic. A total of 10 flights carrying stranded Indians are expected to land in Chennai.