Chennai, May 11 (UNI) A total of 171 passengers arrived
at the Anna International airport here from Kuwait last
night by an Air India Express flight and the officials of
Chennai Customs facilitated their smooth clearance.
This is the third evacuation flight to land in Chennai
as part of the Vande Bharat Mission after two flights
arrived here early yesterday morning from Dubai.
The repatriation flight from Kuwait landed at 2134 hrs
on Sunday, with 171 passengers that included 107 men,
60 women and four infants.
One passenger was on wheelchair. All passengers were
facilitated for smooth Customs clearance, a release
from the Office of the Commssionerate of Air Customs
said today.
Soon after their arrival, the passengers were subjected
to medical tests and immigration checks as per protocol
by maintaining social distancing by officials wearing
facemasks.
The swab samples of the passengers were collected by the
health department staff to ascertain whether they were
exposed to coronavirus after which they were taken in
special buses to institutional quarantine centre and hotels
where they would be housed for 14 days.
At around 2330 hrs, 68 passengers were taken to a private
college campus at Melakottaiyur near suburban Vandalur,
which was converted into an institutional quarantine
facility, 103 were taken to Hotel Royal Regency and Hotel
Hilton in Ekattuthaangal at their own cost.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all international flights
have been grounded since March 22.
In a bid to bring back stranded passengers in various
countries, the Indian Government repatriation plan Vande
Bharat Mission was launched on May seven and it would
continue till May 13.
Under this mission 11 flights are scheduled to arrive at
Chennai, including flights from Bangladesh, USA, UK,
Oman, Kuala Lumpur and Philippines in the coming days.
UNI GV 1319
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