407 chartered flights await permission; 1.25 lakh people waiting to return

Thiruvananthapuram: A total of 407 chartered flights are waiting for permission to fly to Kerala carrying NRIs stranded in foreign countries due to COVID outbreak. With this, around 1.25 lakh people from Gulf countries are likely to reach the state shortly. 64 percent of the returnees would be from Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kannur.

The government has decided to intensify the quarantine procedures in these districts. The local bodies and the police are directed to arrange quarantine centres for people who want it and to ensure those in home-quarantine do not violate the rules.

Chief Secretary Vishwas Mehta informed the government that about 300 chartered flights are likely to arrive soon. Between 50,000 and 1 lakh people are expected to arrive in these flights. The embassies hand over the list of passengers only three days before the flight's arrival.

64 percent of the returnees are women, elderly people and children. The authorities are considering to subject them to rapid test at the airports. Among the returnees, those from UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar are mostly affected with COVID-19.

Among them, 665 are in isolation. 3692 of the returnees were pregnant women and 34 of them came by ship. 1480 elderly persons and 4507 children aged below 10 years also were among the returnees. This ratio also will be considered while arranging quarantine facilities.

A total of 5,59,125 persons registered through NROKA to return from other states and foreign countries till December. Among them, 40,653 persons are from abroad. Over 4.29 lakh people among the registered passengers applied for travel pass and about 3.79 lakh were alotted pass. As per Vande Bharat Mission, 218 flights repatriated NRIs stranded in other countries so far.