VANDE BHARAT
The Vande Bharat Mission launched by the government to evacuate Indian citizens has started the process of repatriation. It is expected that nearly 67 flights will bring back 15000 nationals from different parts of the world immediately. Nearly 67800 requests have been registered in the portal.
In Kerala all residents in abroad are to register in NoRKA ( Non Resident Keralites Affairs) Department through the app with QR Code details. Each one will be traced and all guidelines should be followed. Four International Airports are kept ready and four to fifteen help desks are arranged for the smooth monitoring of the passengers. Separate Apps will monitor health status. Each desk will be provided a doctor and staff nurse or field volunteer and data entry operator.
Covid -19 Control rooms were operational under the charge of two Dy.S.Ps and two Sub Inspectors and four civil Police Officers. Passengers who have any symptoms or temperature will be put in isolation bay and later will be taken in ambulance to Covid-19 treatment centres.
The first evacuation flight reached at Kochi on 7 May from Abu Dabi carrying 177 passengers including infants, aged and pregnant women. The second flight from Dubai reached Calicut few minutes later under the Vande Bharat Mission. Pregnant women, children below 10 and aged people will be permitted to quarantine in their homes while others have to undergo compulsory seven days institutional and seven days home quarantine.
Two expatriates returned in the first day evacuation flights were tested positive and admitted in Hospitals. One person came by Dubai-Kozhikode flight and other reached by Abu Dabi-Kochi flight.
181 non residents from Bahrain landed in Kochi on 8 May.
On 9 May, two Air India Express flights reached at Cochin International airport carrying 362 non resident Keralite from Kuwait and Muscat. Flights carrying 183 passengers from Doha will be arriving on 10 May morning at 1.40 a.m. During the first phase nearly 64 flights and Naval ships brought back nearly16000 people and in the second phase nearly 45000 returned.
A total of 3,08,200 Indians have registered for repatriation from abroad.
Air India flights were in operational for the return of stranded Indians from remote locations in the world.
It will be a great challenge to quarantine all expatriates in the state.
