Indore, Jul 12 (PTI) A total of 152 people, including a child, who were stranded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a long time due to COVID-19, returned to Madhya Pradesh on Sunday night, an official said.
Under the Vande Bharat mission, an Air India flight from Sharjah landed here at Devi Ahilyabai Holkar International Airport at 8.40 pm, nodal officer for the prevention of COVID-19 in Indore district, Amit Malakar said.
"A total of 152 passengers, including a child, came back to their home country through this special flight," he said.
Malakar said that during the screening at the airport, none of the passengers were found having symptoms of COVID-19.
But all of them will be kept in isolation for seven days as per the Centre's guideline.
Among these 152, nearly 50 are from Indore and they were sent to an isolation centre created in a city-based hotel for the next seven days and after that they would be allowed to go home where they have to live separately from other members of the family for another seven days.
Those hailing from outside Indore were allowed to go to the cities to which they belong.
Dubai-based garment-trader, Chandrashekhar Bhatia said that the UAE-based Indian residents played a major role in ensuring the safe return of passengers to India by coordinating with the embassy and the Government of India so that a special flight can be arranged for them.
"Among these passengers 80 per cent are those who have lost their jobs in UAE due to COVID-19. All these 152 persons are basically belong to Madhya Pradesh, including old-age people, pregnant women and those affected with different ailments," Bhatia added.
