No free travel for stranded Indians abroad as evacuation begins on Thursday

India will bring back stranded expatriates living in COVID-19-hit foreign countries across the world from Thursday (May 7).

The evacuation will be carried out in phases, said a press release from the Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday.

Naval ships and chartered flights will be deployed for the operations.

However, passengers have to bear their travel expenses as the centre has decided against providing free trips back home.

The centre is expected to finalise the ticket fares from different destinations soon.

Kerala had demanded free air tickets for the expatriates, but the centre dismissed it because no country had offered free travel to their returning citizens and that even inter-state migrant labourers were paying for their train journey back home.

The ministry said Indian embassies and high commissions in COVID-hit countries are preparing the list of Indians to be brought back.

Only for asymptomatic persons

The ministry said persons who do not show COVID-19 symptoms will be allowed to travel.

Each passenger will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms.

During the journey, all passengers should follow health protocols issued by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Civil Aviation.

On reaching the destination, passengers should download Arogya Setu mobile application and go into quarantine for 14 days, either in a hospital or in an institutional quarantine on payment-basis. COVID test will be done after 14 days.

The release said that centre has asked state governments to make arrangements, including for testing, quarantine and onward movement of the returning Indians.

The registration for those who wish to return has been progressing in various Indian embassies.

NORKA registration in progress

Meanwhile, the Department of Non Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) officials said 4.14 lakh Keralites living in various foreign countries have evinced interest in coming back home till Sunday. The list has been handed over to the embassies in different countries.

Of these, 61,009 have lost jobs, 41, 236 have expired visit visas, 9,827 are pregnant women, 10,628 are children and 11,256 are senior citizens. As many as 27,100 persons have their visas cancelled while 806 are released from various prisons.

These numbers are based on the registrations on the NORKA website, which started on April 26. Those who wish to come back from abroad can still apply online at www.registernorkaroots.org.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the government would introduce self-reporting facility for those who wish to go into quarantine after returning home.

Doctors will be deputed in all panchayats for giving guidance and providing consultation to expatriates. Mobile clinics and telemedicine facilities will also be introduced for them, he said.