Bengaluru, May 22: Evacuation planes from Male in Maldives and Doha in Qatar landed in Bengaluru with returnees from Karnataka after they were stranded for two months due to suspension of international flights since March 23 and the extended lockdown, an official said on Friday.
"An Air-India flight (#0266) with 152 passengers from Male and its subsidiary Express flight (IX-0822) with 177 returnees and 5 infants from Doha landed here safely at 6.50 pm. and 9.05 pm respectively," an airline official told media persons in Bengaluru.
Both the flights are first from their respective countries to Bengaluru, bringing in returnees to the southern state in the second phase of the Vande Bharat mission, being carried out to evacuate Indians stranded the world over.
"As per the standard operating procedure and guidelines of the state health department, all the passengers were screened with thermal device and tested to ensure they were asymptomatic before leaving the airport," a nodal officer said.
The returnees were given a spare mask to wear all the time and a sanitiser to wash their hands.
"The luggage of all passengers was screened and disinfected before handing over to them after they completed formalities such as filling the self-declaration form and downloading of the Quarantine App for contact tracing later,” said the official.
The passengers were ferried from the airport in state-run buses in batches for 14-day institutional quarantine in hotels and resorts across the city.
The flights were the 6th and 7th flights to Karnataka, of the national carrier and its Express arm, which are operating the service to repatriate thousands of Indians, including distressed workers, migrants, students, senior citizens and tourists, stranded overseas.
Five flights have flown about 650 returnees till date from May 18-21 under the mission's second phase to Bengaluru and Mangaluru on the west coast. The passengers have been brought from Dubai in the UAE, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Muscat in Oman, Dammam in Saudi Arabia and San Francisco in the US.
The remaining flights to Karnataka will land in Bengaluru and Mangaluru over the next 12 days till June 3 from 9-10 more destinations the world over.
In the first phase of the mission from May 7-17, the airline and its arm flew 6 flights to the state from May 11-15, bringing in 800 passengers, including 623 to Bengaluru and 177 to Mangaluru from London, Singapore, San Francisco and Dubai.
Comments
As an old resident of Jubail I know Fayaz Bhai (Owner of Irwa Text) since long time. He is of great nature, soft spoken and nice personality. May Allah rest his soul in peace and give courage to his family to pass this difficult time. Ameen...
As a long resident of Jubail, the news of Fayaz Bhai's demise has shocked and I am sure it would shock many more like me. I know Fayaz Bhai (owner of IRWA Ready Made Garment Shop located in Jubail) since many years. He is of great character and soft spoken personality. May Allah rest his and his daughter's soul in peace and give courage to family members specially to his wife and kids to pass this difficult time...Ameen
Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raajiwoon.. may allah forgive their sins n grant them Jannah......such a sad news....
Inna lillahi wa inna ilahi rajihoon. May their soul rest in peace. Ameen
Inna lillahi wahinna raajihoon ..
Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji oon.
Saudi has to plan for train facilities for long distance trips.
Driving more than 1200 kms @ speed 120 - 140 and without proper place to rest is not at all easy. this is serious issue. thousands die in road accidents, long drive, accident due to sleepy drivers. some urgent and reckless drivers causing accidents. installing cameras and earning money on speed cars by traffic dept isn't enough. there should be a plan to stop such risky drivings.
train service can save 90% of lives which lost in road accidents in Saudi. Still Saudi isn't caring on this issue. may be they will plan after 25 years same like what they did in case of metro train.
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