NEW DELHI: The Centre on Tuesday spelled out a detailed plan for the week starting May 7 to repatriate stranded nationals, but clarified that only those with compelling needs will take one of the 64 non-scheduled commercial flights.
The flights would bring back Indians from 12 nations — the UAE, the UK, the US, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman—while those stranded in the Maldives would be brought back in naval ships.
Christened Vande Bharat Mission, the operation will bring back 14,800 Indians through flights operated by Air India and its subsidiaries, Minister of Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri said. “A passenger on a London-Delhi flight will be charged Rs 50,000 and on a Dhaka-Delhi flight Rs 12,000,” he added.
Spelling out the compelling conditions, sources said only those awaiting deportation, migrant workers who have been laid off, people on short term visas, those with medical emergencies, pregnant women and old persons, those with deaths in their near family and students whose educational institutions have shut, will be allowed to board the flights.
“The focus is on the Gulf countries as around 9 million Indians are there. We have received registrations from 3 lakh people from the region alone. Also, the region has a lot of people who have been laid off. Hence the process, in its first phase, will concentrate on this region,” said a source and added that OCI card holders would not be considered.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) also issued a standard operating protocol (SOP) for the return of Indians stranded abroad and those who are stuck in India and wish to travel to international destinations for urgent reasons. The cost of travel will be borne by such travellers, the ministry said. Stranded Indians who will be brought back by special flights from abroad will have to download Aarogya Setu app and detailed procedures for this entire evacuation operation will be issued.
Based on the registrations received, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) will prepare flight- or ship-wise database of all such travellers, including details such as name, age, gender, mobile phone number, place of residence, place of final destination; and information on RT-PCR test taken and its result.
This database will be shared by MEA with the respective states and Union territories in advance. The MEA will designate state and UT wise nodal officers, who will co-ordinate with the nodal officers designated for this purpose by the respective states, the home ministry said.
Sources said that as a large migrant worker population is expected to return, arrangements have been made for their easy rehabilitation post-quarantine.“Through the e-migrate programme, we have shared information about their professions with the respective state governments. This will help in their easy rehabilitation through flagship programmes,” said a source. All the data of the passengers would be available to stakeholders on an online platform.
The airline crew and maintenance staff would wear PPEs and the passengers would be given food before the flight. Foreigners and Indians with valid visa and OCI cardholders will be allowed to leave the country in the flights going out, sources said.
Mandatory quarantine
All travellers will have to pay up for their journey. They must undergo quarantine for 14 days upon arrival at their cost. Only asymptomatic people will be allowed to board flights. All of them have to download Aarogya Setu app on their mobiles. They will get at least two-day notice before beginning their journey
