While the first batch is expected to arrive from Malaysia on Friday (May 8), sources said that under the prevailing circumstances it might take several months to bring back all Tamils who registered with the government since very few flights are being operated.

Recently, the State government developed a dedicated website, rttn.nonresidenttamil.org, for Tamils residing in foreign countries to register their return to native places. “In three days, more than 50,000 Tamils from over 80 countries have registered and the number is set to increase in the coming days,” an official said. While announcing the extension of lockdown, the State government, on Saturday revealed the website for Tamils residing in foreign countries to return. Sources said the list of registered people has been sent to the Centre, who in turn, will forward the list to embassies which will finalise passengers travelling to India. The first such flight from Malaysia is scheduled to arrive in Chennai, on Friday, with 200 passengers. The state government had planned to place all those who return from foreign countries under institutional quarantine.

According to guidelines, people entering Tamil Nadu will be placed under 14 days institutional quarantine. For the Malaysia returnees, the State had setup quarantine centres in Tambaram IAF station, Tambaram Sanitarium and government quarantine centre in Poonamalee.

Apart from the government quarantine centres, TN has also approached private hotels to convert them as quarantine centres if passengers wish to stay there. In such a case, the cost of staying for 14 days will have to be borne by the passengers themselves along with the flight charges, which is not the case with government quarantine centres.

As registrations are set to increase in the coming days, 70,000 beds have been kept ready across the State in various quarantine centres. “Private educational institutions, marriage halls and newly constructed government buildings which are yet to be inaugurated are ready to be converted into quarantine centres,” a source said.

Sources further said that a majority of people who registered are from Middle East countries but as the numbers are huge their return will take more time.