Government to evacuate stranded Indians in overseas from May 7

In a big relief for Indians stuck out of the country, the government on Monday has stated that it will enable their return on convincing grounds from May 7 in a phased manner.

The government has confirmed that the High Commissions and Indian Embassies are making a list of stranded Indian citizens in a foreign land.

Aircraft and naval ships will be made available for the return of the Indian nationals, and a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been set. The government had banned all international flights to India on March 22 to curtail the spread of novel coronavirus.

According to the government, non-scheduled commercial trips will be arranged, and this facility would be made accessible on a payment-basis. This is a change from the earlier process as the government had paid for the evacuation of Indian nationals in foreign countries before the lockdown.

All travellers will be screened before they are allowed to board flights for their return, and only asymptomatic travellers would be allowed to fly, mentions the government’s official guidelines.

Once they arrive at their airport (destination) passengers would also have to download the central government’s contract tracing application Aarogya Setu.

The government said, “Everyone would be medically screened. After scrutiny, they would be quarantined for 14 days, either in a hospital or in an institutional quarantine on payment-basis, by the concerned state government.”

“After the 14-day official quarantine is completed, everyone would also have to undertake a COVID-19 test, and additional action would be taken according to health protocols.”

On the other side, State governments have also been requested to make arrangements, including for quarantine, testing and onward movement of the returning passengers in their states.

At the moment, it is not clear how many Indians the administration plans to bring back home