16,000 indis encallats: trens, avions i vaixells de rescat

It is for sure that no other tourism promotion exercise except Índia has undertaken a massive repatriation venture called Vande Bharat Mission. This mission’s aim is to get back at least 15,999 stranded Indians who are stuck abroad, some for over a month, due to the Pandèmia de coronavirus COVID-19.

Trains, ships, and of course planes are being deployed to execute the ambitious plan, from May 7 to 13, 2020, with more trips expected later.

Indian Railways has used its inventory to ferry students from various places to their hometowns. Indian navy ships are on their way to Maldives to help out the people there.

As many as 64 flights are scheduled to carry 15,000 passengers from several countries to Indian cities. The first 2, from Abu Dhabi and Dubai, by Air Indian Express, operated today with nearly 400 passengers headed for Kochi and Kozikode.

The railways organized 67 trains, which helped 70,000 migrants return home. More trains are expected to run covering several cities.

Apart from the logistics involved, there was much human interest, too, as there are so many more people wanting to get back home to India.

Selection criteria included medical and senior citizens as first preference. Pregnant women – 18 of them – got a seat today, as did 12 senior citizens, and there was a pair of twins and some who had spent over a month at the Dubai airport.

Because of the necessity for social distancing, the ships and planes are not being filled to full capacity.

Several states have arranged buses from the railway stations where the students returning home from colleges disembarked.

As to the expected issue of who will pay for thee journeys, in most cases it was sorted out after some initial problems. Quarantine will also be an issue upon arrival with mandatory health checks that will take time.

But it is the thrill of getting back home for these stranded Indians that is proving to be the greatest joy of all.