HomeIndiaIndian govt issues new guidelines for air travel

Indian govt issues new guidelines for air travel

Prohibition of international travel, by MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, is creating distress among many Indian Nationals who had traveled abroad before lockdown. So, in order to facilitate the movement of those Indians who need to visit India urgently, a Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) has been prepared.

Under this, they will have to register themselves with the Indian mission in the country in which they are stranded along with their necessary details as prescribed by MEA. This will help MEA to prepare flight and ship wise database of all the travellers including their details like name, age, place of residence, final destination and share it with the respective state/UT in advance.

The people will travel to India by non-scheduled commercial flights and ships which will be operated by only those crew and staff who are tested COVID-19 negative.

Priority will be given to migrant workers and labourers, short time visa holders faced with expiry of the same , pregnant women, elderly, people with medical emergencies, distress, students and those who required to return due to death of family member.

The cost of the travel will be borne by the travellers. They are also required to give an undertaking that they are travelling at their own risk.

MEA will designate state/UT wise nodal officers who will coordinate with the same, designated by the respective state/UTs. It will also display the schedule of the incoming flight/ship, with atleast 2 days notice, on their online digital platform. This protocol is the same for passengers arriving through land borders.

Only asymptomatic people will be allowed to cross the border of India. All the necessary guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) will be followed.

The SOP for the movement of people stranded in India who are desirous to travel abroad for various purposes is that firstly those people will apply to the Ministry of Civil Aviation(MoCA) or to any agency designated by MoCA along with necessary details like places of departure and arrival, as prescribed by MoCA.

They will travel from India on the non-scheduled commercial flights.

Only those people will be allowed to travel to the destination countries who are citizens of that country, who holds visa of atleast one year, green card or OCI card of that country, who have medical emergency or death in the family. Indians holding six months visa can also be allowed.

The passengers will bear the cost of travel. They will undergo thermal screening while boarding the flight. Those Indian crew who are seeking to serve on vessels abroad, can travel on the non-scheduled commercial flights departing from India under the Vande Bharat mission or any other flight arranged by their employer.

But this will happen only when MoCA confirms that the destination country allows the entry of such people. While boarding the flight, all the passengers, crew and airline staff must observe certain precautions like wearing of masks, health hygiene, hand hygiene,etc.

Dainik Samvaad Correspondent
Dainik Samvaad Correspondenthttps://dainiksamvaad.com/
Dainik Samvaad is a news organisation where we believe age-old ethics of journalism will never be too old.
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