New Delhi: The Indian government on Tuesday granted permission to foreign nationals to go to their respective destinations at their own cost. This includes Green as well as Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cardholders. Besides, those who hold a visa of at least one-year duration of that foreign country and in case of medical emergency or death in the family of those Indian nationals holding six-month visa can also be allowed, the Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday said.
Such people will have to apply to the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) or to any agency designated by the ministry for this purpose along with necessary details, including the place of departure and arrival, as prescribed by it. Before the tickets of these individuals are confirmed, the SOP clarified that the MoCA will ensure the destination country allows its entry in the nation.
“The conditions, if any, imposed by the destination country, will have to be fulfilled by the persons intending to travel,” the SOP reads.”The travel from India shall be on the non-scheduled commercial flights that are being arranged by the ministry of civil aviation for bringing back stranded Indian nationals from abroad and the cost of travel, as specified by MoCA, will be borne by such travelers.”
MoCA will ensure that all travelers undergo thermal screening as per health protocol at the time of boarding the flight. “Only asymptomatic travelers would be allowed to board the flight. While on board the flight, health protocol as issued by the ministry of civil aviation will be strictly followed,” said the SOP, adding this would include wearing of masks, environmental, respiratory and hand hygiene must be observed by airline staff, crew, and all passengers.
The foreign nationals stranded in different parts of the world had been having a hard time finding accommodation as the places they were staying at earlier, like hostels and guest houses had asked them to leave the premises. The relief was given to them when some hotels came forward to take in these people and provide shelter for them. Hotels across the world have been offering ‘quarantine packages’ for stranded travelers and evacuees returning home.
While established hotel chains can afford to show kindness in this hour of crisis without unreasonable fear of a crackdown by local authorities, it is the small-scale business holders who have taken up the bulk of the task of accommodating stranded tourists, even if it means facing resistance and negativity from the society they operate in.
The SOP came amid the ongoing lockdown which had earlier banned the foreign nationals from leaving the country due to fear of the spread of the virus. The government decided to provide travel facilities to the people stranded in India who desire to travel abroad urgently for various purposes and they are stuck here since the lockdown was announced on March 24. The lockdown is currently in its third phase which will end on May 17.
