Combating coronavirus: More stranded Indians to fly home on chartered flights

Dubai - Those securing seats in these repatriation flights include people who have lost their jobs, senior citizens, pregnant women and travellers stranded in the UAE.

More community groups and businessmen are flying back stranded Indians in the UAE affected by the Covid-19 crisis.
Chartered flights to Gaya, Varanasi, Guwahati, Kolkata and a second flight to Jaipur and Lucknow are in the pipeline which have been arranged by the Purvanchal Pravasi Milan (PPM), a UAE-based committee.
Those securing seats in these repatriation flights include people who have lost their jobs, senior citizens, pregnant women and travellers stranded in the UAE.
More than 50,000 people requested PPM to travel to these destinations in India.
The next chartered flights are scheduled on June 24 to Gaya from Ras Al Khaimah, and on June 29 to Varanasi and Guwahati from Ras Al Khaimah.
Additionally, blue collar workers from other communities had apparently approached PPM, and hence, a second flight for Jaipur has been finalised for July 2 from Dubai with Indigo Airlines.
Another flight to Lucknow will take off on July 3 or 4 from Dubai and to Kolkata on July 5 from Dubai.
Investment banker and entrepreneur Saikat Kumar, chairman of PPM, said: "These flights are offering tickets at a much subsidised rate to ones who are facing a really difficult time due to the Covid crisis. The challenges brought about by this global pandemic have affected countless lives and it has been difficult to see my compatriots struggling through the ongoing crisis. The situation calls for us to act with greater sensitivity and help those in need. The Indian government needs all the support of international organisations and private individuals to help fellow citizens stuck abroad, and there is no better time than now to come forward and extend a helping hand."
Kumar added, "All the approvals for the chartered flights have come through from India and that the approval of UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation will be received in two or three days before the departure of the flights."
Meanwhile, repatriation efforts from the UAE by PPM have recently seen 350 Indian nationals from the Purvanchal region flying home to Lucknow and Jaipur on SpiceJet flights on June 19 and 20, from the RAK International Airport.
Kumar added: "There are around 400,000 blue collar workers from Purvanchal, that mainly represents Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and part of West Bengal, working in the UAE. PPM has worked in the last couple of years under the guidance of the Consulate General of India for the cultural, social and economic upliftment and support for these people in UAE."
nandini@khaleejtimes.com