More then 4 lakh Indians stranded abroad because of the coronavirus crisis will be brought back by air and by sea from Thursday in the world’s largest evacuation mission. More than 4 lakh Indians have requested a flight home. Those taking the special flights will be charged around Rs 50,000 from Europe and Rs 1 lakh from the US. Naval warships will also set out for Indians stuck in West Asia and the Maldives. This is the biggest exercise since national airline Air India flew back 1,70,000 during the first Gulf War. The first phase of the Indian government’s mass evacuation mission called Vande Bharat Mission, to bring scores of stranded expatriates back to the country, will kick start on May 7, Thursday. Lakhs of people, stranded across the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, are anxiously waiting to return to their natives. However, considering the sheer volume of individuals who wish to fly back, the Indian government has prioritised who should be brought back in the first phase of the mission.
According to sources, the Centre has categorised those to be brought back to the country into different groups based on the list of people given by the state governments.
As per the present plans, those facing deportation in foreign countries, people who have lost jobs, those with expired visas, people with medical emergencies, pregnant women, aged expatriates, students whose hostels have been shut and people with family emergencies, will be flown back.
In the first phase of the mission spanning across seven days, starting from Thursday, 14,800 people will be evacuated in 64 flights from 12 countries — the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.
On the first day of evacuation on May 7, 10 flights will bring back 2,300 Indians stranded because of airspace closures by various countries to slow the spread of coronavirus
