Only 3,150 non-resident Keralites (NoRKs) will be able to return from West Asia and Malaysia in the first phase of the Centre’s plan to bring Indians stranded in different parts of the world back home from May 7 to 14.
Of the total 64 flights to be operated to 13 cities in the first phase, Kerala has been sanctioned 15, the most to any State. Four of the 10 flights to be operated on May 7 are to the State.
Of the 15 flights to be operated to Kerala till May 13, 10 will be to Kochi, four to Kozhikode, and one to Thiruvananthapuram.
No flights to Kannur
The Kannur international airport has been left out of the list prepared by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has come out against the omission of the airport, pointing out that 69,179 people had registered to return via the Kannur airport.
The flights to the State are from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Malaysia. There are flights from the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, the Philippines, and Bangladesh. But, these flights are to other States and NoRKs will have to fly to these cities or wait.
Twelve flights will accommodate 200 passengers each and three will be able to fly 250 passengers. Thus, 3,150 NoRKs will be able to return to the State during the May 7-13 period. In all, 14,800 non-resident Indians are being evacuated from various countries in the first phase.
4.42 lakh register
The government and NoRKs have raised concerns as 1,69,136 in the emergency category are awaiting their turn to return to the State. So far 4.42 lakh people have registered on the website of the Department of Non Resident Keralite Affairs to return home.
Air India has been given the responsibility of ferrying the stranded back home.
Air India Express has got the mandate to operate the majority of the flights.
