Published 17:33 IST, June 10th 2020
Vande Bharat Mission: 58 more flights added to repatriate Indians stranded in Gulf
India has added 58 more flights to evacuate stranded & distressed nationals from Gulf between now and June 30, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said
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India has added 58 more flights to evacuate stranded and distressed nationals from Gulf countries between now and June 30, Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Wednesday. He informed that staring immediately, the number of flights from Gulf under phase-3 of the 'Vande Bharat Mission' has now increased from originally planned 107 to 165.
58 more flights added to evacuate stranded & distressed Indian citizens from Gulf countries between now & 30th June 2020.
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) June 10, 2020
Starting immediately, number of flights from Gulf under phase-3 of Vande Bharat Mission now increased from originally planned 107 to 165. pic.twitter.com/gJ3Wyze3we
More flights to the West
The minister further said that Phase 3 of VBM will have 80 flights to Europe, including two daily flights to London and two to other European destinations, between now and 30 June. Moreover, 10 additional flights to the United States and Canada will be flown apart from 70 that have already been announced.
State-run carrier Air India had previously announced that it will operate around 300 flights to Europe, Australia, Canada, the USA, the UK and Africa between June 10 and July 1 during phase 3 of Vande Bharat Mission.
'Mission of hope'
In an earlier tweet, Hardeep Singh Puri had said that the Vande Bharat Mission, started in early May to repatriate stranded Indians across the globe amid the COVID-19 pandemic, "is proving to be a mission of hope for stranded and distressed Indians" around the world.
Vande Bharat is proving to be a mission of hope for stranded & distressed Indians around the world.
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) June 10, 2020
2441 Indians returned from Newark, Istanbul, New York, Stockholm, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Doha, Muscat, Dubai & Kuala Lumpur on 9 June.
We continue to add more flights.@MoCA_GoI pic.twitter.com/ZgGkf9Hu8S
Smooth & steady domestic operations.
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) June 10, 2020
On 9 June 2020 (Day 16) till 2359 hrs.
Departures 655
60,845 passengers handled.
Arrivals 655
61,344 passengers handled.
Total movements 1310
Footfalls at airports 1,22,189
Total number of flyers 60,845 pic.twitter.com/UnTPzSqJwT
VBM phases
The first phase of the mission saw the repatriation of Indians from over 11 countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Maldives, Singapore, and the US. In the second phase of the mission, the Indian government brought back Indians from around 31 countries from May 16. The second phase was to end on May 22, however, the Indian government extended it to June 13, while adding more countries to the list such as Finland, South Korea, Belgium, New Zealand, Netherlands, Kenya, Mauritius, Spain, Myanmar, Egypt, and Sri Lanka.
17:32 IST, June 10th 2020