Al Khaleej stuns Al Hilal with 3-2 victory, ending 57-match unbeaten run    Turki Al-Sheikh crowned "Most Influential Personality in the Last Decade" at MENA Effie Awards 2024    Saudi Arabia arrests 19,696 illegals in a week    SFDA move to impose travel ban on workers of food outlets in the event of food poisoning    GACA: 1029 complaints recorded against airlines, with least complaints in Riyadh and Buraidah airports during October    CMA plans to allow former expatriates in Saudi and other Gulf states to invest in TASI    11 killed, 23 injured in Israeli airstrike on Beirut    Trump picks billionaire Scott Bessent for Treasury Secretary    WHO: Mpox remains an international public health emergency    2 Pakistanis arrested for promoting methamphetamine    Move to ban on establishing zoos in residential neighborhoods    Moody's upgrades Saudi Arabia's credit rating to Aa3 with stable outlook    Al Okhdood halts Al Shabab's winning streak with a 1-1 draw in Saudi Pro League    Mahrez leads Al Ahli to victory over Al Fayha in Saudi Pro League    Saudi musical marvels takes center stage in Tokyo's iconic opera hall    Saudi Arabia and Japan to collaborate on training Saudi students in Manga comics Saudi Minister of Culture discusses cultural collaboration during Tokyo visit    Al Khaleej qualifies for Asian Men's Club League Handball Championship final    Katy Perry v Katie Perry: Singer wins right to use name in Australia    Sitting too much linked to heart disease –– even if you work out    Denmark's Victoria Kjær Theilvig wins Miss Universe 2024    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



60,000 Indians register for repatriation First flight carrying returnees set to leave Riyadh on Friday
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 06 - 05 - 2020


Saudi Gazette
RIYADH — As part of Indian government's largest repatriation of its nationals stranded abroad from all over the world, which will begin Thursday, national carrier Air India will be operating special flights to carrying Indians home. The carrier will operate five special flights from Saudi Arabia to India in the coming days.
The first flight bound for Calicut in the southern state of Kerala with 153 passengers on board, will take off from King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh, at 12.35 p.m. on Friday.
In a virtual press conference held on Wednesday, Indian Ambassador Dr. Ausaf Sayeed said that a total of 60,000 Indian nationals have so far registered to travel to India since the launch of the online registration on April 29.
He said that this first phase is limited evacuation of the most compelling cases and it would take some time to repatriate the large number of those registered with the missions on board the special flights.
These special flights are the only mode of transportation for the moment, as ships will not be used to ferry Indians from the Kingdom. We are working with Saudi authorities in this regards too if the need arises.
In the first leg of the repatriation, less than 1,000 Indians will be sent home and these include three flights to Kerala and two to New Delhi as initially planned for this week. In the next phase, additional embarkation points such as Hyderabad, Bangalore and Mumbai will be considered for repatriation.
"We embarked on a challenging task and a complex operation involving federal government, state governments and diplomatic missions, and this week is the testing ground for all the agencies involved. It entails massive and close coordination between the Embassy, the Consulate, government of India's COVID Cell in New Delhi, and the state governments," he said.
The envoy said that a total of 2,788 Indian nationals, who tested coronavirus positive, are undergoing treatment in various hospitals across the Kingdom and there were 21 fatalities among Indians. The dead included six from Kerala, five from Maharashtra, four from Telengana and three each from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Dr. Sayeed said that passengers will have to pay for their tickets, which will be issued only to those listed in the manifests provided by the Embassy and the Consulate.
"We are prioritizing individuals on the basis of exigencies, such as distressed workers, urgent medical cases, pregnant women and stranded Umrah pilgrims. As part of their evacuation, Air India is operating four flights on Riyadh-Delhi; Dammam-Kochi; Jeddah-Kochi and Jeddah-Delhi sectors in addition to Friday's Calicut flight from Riyadh," he said.
The airfare for the four flights in economy class has also been fixed. These include SR900 for May 8 Riyadh–Calicut flight; SR1,023 for the May 10 Riyadh-Delhi flight; SR850 for May 12 Dammam-Kochi flight; SR1,350 for the May 13 Jeddah-Delhi flight while the fare for the May 14 Jeddah-Kochi flight is yet to be announced. The fares are not decided locally but from the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
The Embassy and the Consulate have started contacting the shortlisted nationals directly over phone or email seeking their consent and convenience for the proposed travel to India. They are advised to contact local Air India offices for booking of tickets and other formalities.
The envoy also revealed that there are about 300 Indians at deportation centers awaiting deportation. "We have completed all the travel documents and once the deportation authorities give us the green signal, special flight will be operated to take them home," he said.
He, however, pointed out that the Indian missions at the moment do not have information about the number of Indians who have registered for return by taking advantage of the Ministry of Interior's new service of Awdah (return) through the Abshir portal.
"We will work out the modalities with the Saudi authorities and hopefully get the number of Indians registered. But currently, the Saudi authorities have not released the numbers."
Dr. Sayeed said the Embassy and the Consulate are working out a mechanism on how to facilitate the boarding of the registered people who are living in remote regions in the Kingdom. Once the number of flights increases we could add more embarkation points, closer to many of these people, the envoy added.
"Some Saudi companies have approached us to facilitate special charter flights to repatriate their laid-off workers and a decision is yet to be taken on this matter," Dr. Sayeed said of those companies that had approached the missions to repatriate the Indians.
Dr. Sayeed added only those who test negative for coronavirus would be allowed to travel. He, when asked about social distancing during travel, also revealed that it would be up to the carrier to work out a system.
"But I believe that they are carrying less numbers in order to practice this safety measure," he added.
India's Ministry of Home Affairs has issued Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) with regard to fulfilling health requirements for boarding flights and quarantine arrangements after landing in India.
"We are in touch with Saudi authorities and working out the modalities with the MoH on how pre-boarding testing will be done. It is a mandatory requirement and we are individually informing the passengers about this requirement," he said.
Dr. Sayeed urged the community members to maintain social distancing and follow the norms issued by the Kingdom in containing the spread of the pandemic.
He called on them to avoid personally visiting the Embassy and Consulate premises but said that they may contact for any assistance via Embassy of India, Riyadh COVID-19 the Helpline No.: -966-546103992 Email: [email protected] Consulate General of India, Jeddah COVID-19 Helpline No.: +966-556122301 / 8002440003 Email: [email protected] / [email protected]
Deputy Chief of Mission Dr. Pradeep Singh Rajpurohit and Consul General Mohammed Noor Rahman Sheikh attended the virtual session, which was managed by Second Secretary (Political & Information) at the Embassy Asim Anwar. Some journalists joined the press conference from India and were briefed along with the local Indian journalists from various parts of the Kingdom.


Clic here to read the story from its source.