KOCHI: Since March 25, a Dubai-based Malayali entrepreneur has been knocking at the doors of many seeking help to bring together his family members, who are stranded in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for the past one month. After all his efforts ended in vain, he finally took to Facebook on May 5 posting that anyone who helps to bring together his family can claim Rs 10 lakh.
"I am in Dubai, my wife along with younger son in Mangaluru and my elder son in Tiruchirappalli. At least, I wanted to ensure that my wife and children reach safely to my wife's house in Kottayam. I even tried to arrange a helicopter to pick up my elder son which would cost around Rs 10 lakh. But the authorities declined permission for operating a helicopter," Sreekumar KR, who hails from Alappuzha district, told TNIE over phone from Dubai.
"I am ready to part with the amount to anyone who safely and through proper channel help my wife and two children reach home," he said. Though his elder son made an attempt to hire a car from a rental service firm to reach home, he couldn’t make it after the firm failed to deliver the vehicle.
"He booked a car paying Rs 15,000 online. But they never turned up," Sreekumar said adding the travel pass which his wife got from Kerala after applying online was a mess as it was received on May 6 but the date to reach Kerala border was mentioned as May 3.
"I tried to contact several government officials who promised to look into my case but so far I haven’t received any confirmation," he said adding when his son along with a few friends made an attempt to enter Kerala through Walayar check-post, they were denied entry and was forced to return. "I spoke to a few friends in Tamil Nadu who said that it was risky to arrange a cab to take my son to Kerala," Sreekumar said.
Halo Airways Pvt Ltd chief executive officer (CEO) Shoby T Paul said helicopter service cannot not be used in this case because the government has given strict direction to use helicopter service only for cargo movement and medical evacuation during lockdown.
"But we request Union Government to give approval for helicopter and chartered flights for such passengers as it minimises the risk of COVID-19 spread compared to road travel and could be a relief to many stranded families," he said.