Dubai, May 6: The Indian nationals cleared by the UAE health authorities and found to be asymptomatic will only be allowed to fly back home in one of India's biggest ever repatriation exercises, the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi has said ahead of the first set of flights on Thursday.
On Monday, the Indian government announced plans to begin a phased repatriation of its citizens stranded abroad from May 7. Air India will operate 64 flights from May 7 to May 13 to bring back around 15,000 Indian nationals stranded abroad amid the COVID-19-induced lockdown, India's Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Tuesday.
The first two special flights that will operate from Thursday to evacuate Indians stranded in the UAE due to the coronavirus pandemic will begin with applicants from Kerala, who formed the majority of the expatriates who have registered to be repatriated from here, Indian Ambassador to the UAE Pavan Kapoor has said.
"All departing passengers will have to undergo medical screening and IGM/IGG test at the departure airport and only those cleared by the UAE health authorities and found to be asymptomatic will be allowed to board the plane,” the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi said on Tuesday.
According to the embassy, all passengers will be required to sign an undertaking to undergo compulsory quarantine at the destination of arrival and bear the cost of the same.
“Each passenger, at the time of boarding would be handed over a safety kit containing 2 three-layered face masks, 2 pairs of gloves and pouches/small bottles of hand sanitizers. While on board the flight, the health protocol of the Ministry of Civil Aviation of India will be strictly followed,” said the embassy.
The passenger lists for the two flights on May 7 have been finalised by the Embassy / Consulate and sent to Air India Express for issue of tickets.
The Embassy / Consulate will continue conveying the details of further special flights as and when they are announced by the Government of India, over the next few days.
Less than 2,000 Indians wishing to return home from the UAE will be flown to six Indian states in the first week of India’s biggest ever repatriation exercise named Vande Bharat Mission—sans social distancing and COVID-19 tests, the Gulf News reported.
Only those cleared by the UAE health authorities and found to be asymptomatic will be allowed to board the plane.
The short-listed applicants, who were contacted by the Indian missions on Tuesday to purchase tickets for the first two flights to Kerala on Thursday, told the Gulf News that the tickets are priced around Dh 725 to Dh 750 (over Rs 15,000).
Sharjah resident Rasheed Thayyil said his 70-year-old mother Nepheeza Thottungal, who came on a visit to the UAE in February, received an email from the Indian Consulate in Dubai which quoted an airfare of around Dh725 (approx Rs 15,000), the report said.
Another applicant from Abu Dhabi Ambily Babu said she purchased a ticket at Dh 750 from Air India Express for her Abu Dhabi-Kochi flight scheduled to fly on Thursday evening, it said.
Air India Express which is set to operate the first two flights to Kerala on Thursday will operate its Boeing 737-800 aircraft, with a seating capacity of 186 economy class seats, the report added.
With nine seats reserved for isolation, only 177 passengers would be flown, it said.
The Indian expatriate community of approximately 3.42 million is reportedly the largest ethnic community in the UAE constituting roughly about 30 per cent of the country's population, according to information available on the Indian Embassy website.
Comments
U have been voted to develop ur area. Do that first. We muslims don't have any issues if your women's go to temple or not go to temple. It's ur internal matter. We don't interfere. Pls do not interfere in our matters. U have right to do whatever you want to do. We don't come there. So do good to your are in this 5 years and next time also u will get elected for your good deeds. I feel sorry for those who voted you. God bless India.
Ahlan Wa Sahlan welcome to all faith include prathap simha
If in case any muslim women tried to engter Sabarimala temple it is 100 percent her fault. As entry of women is not allowed in this temple, she should respect the rules and should not put herself in trouble. What is the need to her to enter in a restricted area. In case she believes Sabarimala as God, why is she represents as Muslim. None will stop her from follwoing Ayyappa religion as Islam or muslims will not lose anything if she ruins her present and future. As she has no respect to her own religion how can we expect her to respect other religions. she might be doing it to get publicity or she is bribed to do so.
My dear friend, none will stop entry of women of any religion in masjid, but they should pray separately. Many masjids have prayer room for women as they are not allowed to mix with males while praying. However, for your information, it is preferred to muslim women to pray in home and there is no force on them to go to masjid to pray. This is a facility provided to them and in case any woman wants to pray in masjid it is due to the nfluence and unnecesary advice of any person.
Dear ex bhakat, he is a member of kesari jihad organisation.
Yes All Women are welcome. Irrespective of Faiths.
Yes , all faiths are permitted to enter mosque .
E.g. Sheik Zayed Mosque , Abduhabi.UAE.
Please google it if am wrong.
Because u people are borries
Anyone can entre mosque. But women cannot mingle with men in mosque unlike in temples and churches. There will be separate place for men and women. Unfortunately, in India most of the mosques have no facility for women. But Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) warned men against preventing women’s entry into mosque.
What the hell you are asking sir? Are u promoting love jihad?
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