6,530 expats to return to Kerala onboard 38 flights by June 2

Thiruvananthapuram: A total of 6,530 expats is expected to return to the state onboard 38 flights amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The flight services from various countries to Kerala will be conducted till June 2. Eight flights will arrive from the UAE, six from Oman, four from Saudi Arabia, three from Qatar and two from Kuwait.

One flight each will arrive from Bahrain, Philippines, Malaysia, UK, USA, Australia, France, Indonesia, Armenia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Ireland, Italy, Russia, and Singapore.

So far, 5,814 people returned from abroad via flights or ships.

Special train from Delhi on Wednesday

A special Delhi-Thiruvananthapuram train will start from the national capital on Wednesday to bring home the stranded Keralites.

Steps have also been taken to arrange for special trains from Punjab, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Bihar.

A special train is allotted when there are 1,200 passengers from one state or station. Kerala has asked the railways to allow for an additional stoppage in the originating states with high number of returnees. They can pay for the train ticket on registernorkaroots.org. The returnee will get the details on the phone once the train ticket is issued. This will be considered as a travel pass for the state.

Do not stop returnees with pass: CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan the returnees need only carry the pass of the origin state and that of the state they are heading to. The Centre had instructed that the states in between the journey should not intervene, the CM pointed out.

CM Pinarayi has said that Karnataka's decision to not to allow people from other states to pass through was unacceptable.