HYDERABAD: About 331 non-resident Indians (NRIs) from the two Telugu states, stranded in the United Kingdom due to ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, were evacuated back to India. They landed at the Shamshabad airport in Hyderabad at 2.21 am on May 12. Upon their landing, all the 331 people were immediately moved to quarantine centres arranged by the Telangana government.

After the disembarkation of the Telugu NRIs, the flight took with about 87 US citizens, who were stranded in Telangana, to the United States at 5:31 am. The flight was scheduled to have a stopover in New Delhi.

A total 64 flights carrying approximately 15,000 returnees from 12 countries are expected to land at 14 airports across India between May 7 to 15 as part of phase one of the Indian government's "Vande Bharat" Mission.

The airport authorities have completely sanitised the airport premises and taken measures to ensure social distancing among passengers at various places in the airport, starting right from the aerobridge. Washrooms, chairs, counters, trolleys, lifts and escalators at the airport were also sanitized. Passengers along with aircraft crew were brought to the airport in batches of around 20-25 people each.

Before completing the immigration regulations, airport health officials have conducted screening of each passenger with thermal cameras as per the protocol issued by Department of Health and Family Welfare.

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