The third phase of repatriation flights from Australia will include private carriers on select sectors, Consul General of India in Sydney, Mr Manish Gupta revealed to SBS Hindi.
Highlights:
- Vande Bharat Mission is Government of India's repatriation program to bring home Indians stranded abroad.
- Two phases of the repatriation program have taken place from Australia.
- By the end of the second phase, about 3,500 people will have been repatriated to India.
The coronavirus pandemic led travel ban has left thousands of Indian citizens stranded across the globe.
“The Vande Bharat Mission is the Indian Government’s mission to help stranded Indians from any part of the world, to help them return to India in a systematic manner,” Mr Manish Gupta, the Consul General of India in Sydney told SBS Hindi.
Flights repatriating Indians from Australia have operated in two phases so far.
Passengers in a repatriation flight to India (Represntational image). Source: Supplied
During the first phase, seven flights carried Indians from Sydney and Melbourne to India on Air India while the second phase commenced on June 17 and will end by June 24, with eight flights to India.
"Through Vande Bharat, we are trying to link maximum locations. This time, flights from Sydney will go to Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Kochi. All flights go to Delhi, so we are trying to give people connectivity from Delhi to other states,” the Consul General said.
The flight fares are determined by Air India.
"They are trying to keep the fare at a minimum for the benefit of the stranded people. For passengers travelling from Sydney to Delhi, the airfare is $1670 and for other destinations, it is $100 extra” the Consul General said.
At the end of the second phase, the repatriation will see about 3,500 people return to India.
Mr Gupta advises us that, “Registrations have been made worldwide in a very structured manner. Priority was given to those whose circumstances were compelling, like those who were on tourist visas in Australia, students or those who had to travel for medical reasons or the loss of near or dear ones in India.”
“In the third phase, we shall scale it up with private carriers on select sectors. As soon as we get to the third phase, we shall share it on our social media. We deeply value feedback and I request all to follow us on Twitter and Facebook,” he said.
Source: Supplied
Listen to the podcast:
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits.
Testing for coronavirus is now widely available across Australia. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
The federal government's coronavirus tracing app COVIDSafe is available for download from your phone's app store.
SBS is committed to informing Australia’s diverse communities about the latest COVID-19 developments. News and information is available in 63 languages at sbs.com.au/coronavirus
