Coronavirus crisis: Dubai expats' children in India want to return 'home'

Students are stranded in various Indian states due to lockdown and air travel restrictions.

Parents in the UAE, who have their children stuck in India, have urged governments to return the kids on board Vande Bharat Mission special flights, which fly in without any passengers.
Students are stranded in various Indian states due to lockdown and air travel restrictions.
Dubai residents for 20 years, Deepa Bellani and Rohit miss their 13-year-old son Yuvraj and requested the UAE and Indian authorities to accommodate such students in special planes that fly empty to the UAE. "Dubai is more than home to us. For past two years, Yuvraj studies at a school in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu. He comes back to Dubai during vacations and mid-term breaks."
On March 17, his school temporarily shut due to the Covid-19 situation. Yuvraj was booked to fly on March 19 but at the Madurai airport immigration, he was stopped from flying.
The teenager returned to school but found it was almost empty.
"Since a curfew was to be implemented, we rushed him to Ahmedabad, Gujarat, to be with his friend. From there, my ailing mother took him to her house in Gandhidham."
Now, the only way the family catches up with Yuvraj is through Zoom app.
"One question he always asks: 'Mum, when I can come home' and his WhatsApp messages requesting us to get him to Dubai are heart-breaking. He is born in Dubai and this is home for him," Deepa said.

'Only home we have is Dubai'
Sumitha Menon, a single parent, is very disturbed as her 13-year-old son Ruvan and 15-year-old daughter Antara are stranded in Chennai.
"Six weeks back their boarding school closed down. I was unable to bring them here as airlines halted operations. I have no family or home in India.
The only home we have is here in Dubai. Luckily, I have friends there and children are now with them for more than a month. Also, the school will not operate through summer. I need to ensure my children return safely to me.
Now that new repatriation service has started, I request the Indian Embassy to kindly intervene and assist in bringing my kids back."
'Her mother has collapsed worrying about her'
Simon James and his wife are losing sleep as their 19-year-old daughter Brenda Jovish is left alone in Chennai.
"I am Dubai resident for more than 20 years. My daughter did her schooling here and is pursuing higher education in Chennai. But her college closed on March 18. I booked a ticket for March 19 but she was barred from flying at the airport. She is alone at a hotel.
"We don't have any known person there to support. Her mother has totally collapsed worrying about Brenda. We are seeking some help from the authorities."
Air India official on Friday clarified that under the Vande Bharat Mission, passengers in India can book tickets only for flights to the UK, the US and Singapore.
Also, Indian destinations don't figure in list of limited inbound special flights that Etihad operates this month.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com
 

• Dubai