Finally, Indians to return from Japan under Vande Bharat Mission on May 16-22
Vande Bharat Mission, Phase-2 would operate a total of 149 flights (including feeder flights) for 31 countries, and three of these Air India flights will fly from Tokyo for New Delhi, Mumbai, and Karnataka.
NEW DELHI. Finally, it’s good news for the Indians stranded in Japan for over 42 days as the Indian authorities have decided to operate three Air India flights from Japan in Phase 2 of Vande Bharat Mission on May 16-22.
Japan did not figure in the first list issued by the Indian government under the Mission which was launched from May 7. And this had rendered hundreds of stranded Indians in deep sorrow and agony as many of them had run out of sources to sustain their lives there. Many have taken refuge at friend’s places while others are forced to live in hotels paying huge sum of amounts.
According to highly placed sources Vande Bharat Mission, Phase-2 would operate a total of 149 flights (including feeder flights) for 31 countries, and three of these Air India flights will fly from Tokyo for New Delhi, Mumbai, and Karnataka.
It is noteworthy that Asian Community News (ACN) Network has run a month-long campaign with series of news stories highlighting the plight of Indians stranded in Japan for about a month, starting from April 12 – exactly a month before when it carried first news “Stuck in Japan, Indians remember Supermom Susham Swaraj”.
Shweta, the wife of Kamal Vijayvargia who suffers from the serious health issue of polyps in his stomach, is stranded in Japan since March 18, is all praise for Asian Community News (ACN) Network for running one after another story to bring to the fore the agonies of the Indians in Japan.
“I am so happy to get to know that Japan figures in the second list of Vande Bharat Mission. Now I can heave a sigh of relief as my husband will be reaching Indian soon even if he has to stay under quarantine for 14 days before entering home in Jaipur. All four kids who would cry every day remembering their father, too are very happy and they will be able to have dinner in peace today after so many days,” said the beaming Shweta.
Other countries that find mention in the Vande Bharat Mission Phase 2 list include US, UAE, Canada, Saudi Arabia, UK, Malaysia, Oman, Kazakhstan, Australia, Ukraine, Qatar, Indonesia and Russia, Philippines, France, Singapore, Ireland and Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Georgia, Germany, Tajikistan, Bahrain, Armenia, Thailand, Italy, Nepal, Belarus, Nigeria, and Bangladesh.
Out of the 149 flights, 13 flights are scheduled to come from the US, 11 from the UAE, 10 from Canada, nine each from Saudi Arabia and the UK, eight each from Malaysia and Oman, seven each from Kazakhstan and Australia.
Six flights each will come from Ukraine, Qatar, Indonesia and Russia, five from the Philippines, four each from France, Singapore, Ireland and Kyrgyzstan, three each from Kuwait and Japan, two each from Georgia, Germany, Tajikistan, Bahrain and Armenia, and one each from Thailand, Italy, Nepal, Belarus, Nigeria, and Bangladesh.
6037 Indians flown back to India under Vande Bharat Mission Phase 1 since May 6
In a statement issued today by the Civil Aviation Ministry, as many as 6037 Indians have been flown back to India in 31 inbound flights operated by Air India and Air India Express under Vande Bharat Mission in five days since May 7 when India’s biggest even repatriation exercise took off to rescue Indians struck worldwide post lockdown scenario in India.
Under this mission, the Ministry of Civil Aviation is coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs and state Governments for bringing Indians back to their homeland.
Air India along with its subsidiary Air India Express are operating a total of 64 flights (42 by Air India & 24 by AI Express) to 12 countries viz. USA, UK Bangladesh, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Philippines, UAE, and Malaysia to repatriate 14,800 Indians back in the first phase.
Each and every function in this massive air evacuation mission strictly adhere to the safety and hygiene protocol laid down by the Government and DGCA. MoCA, AAI, and Air India leave no stone unturned to prioritize the safety of passengers, the crew and ground handling staff in these sensitive medical evacuation missions, the civil aviation ministry statement said.
