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US citizens who are stranded in India post the 21-day coronavirus lockdown, maybe repatriated post-April 4, said the US Embassy in India on Wednesday evening. The Embassy informed that it anticipated that several flights to the USA would depart from New Delhi on the said weekend.
“We anticipate we will have several flights beginning the weekend of April 4.,” The Embassy said in an update on its Twitter handle: @USAndIndia . The Embassy directed US citizens in “areas in northern India to work with the Consular Section to make travel arrangements to New Delhi.”
On March 22, the Centre suspended all international flights arriving and departing from India for at least one week. Prime Minister, Narendra Modi announced on March 24 announced a complete curfew until April 15.
Several US citizens were stranded in India since then. The US Embassy in India’s website stated that the Mission was closer to arranging flights from New Delhi to the United States, “those US citizens in areas in northern India, including Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan, should work with the Consular Section to make travel arrangements to New Delhi.”
The US citizens are supposed to fill out a repatriation form for the boarding a flight from India to the States. “These flights are for US Citizens and certain Legal Permanent Residents on a space-available basis only. While the exact cost of the flights has not been determined, the price should be comparable to a full-fare economy commercial flight available before the COVID-19 outbreak.”
It further assured that the US Embassy can assist with curfew passes for drivers of privately arranged vans and buses for travel to New Delhi. “To request this assistance, please email your request to indiaevac@state.gov . We anticipate it will require at least 24 hours for permission to be arranged.”
“Travelers may wish to make arrangements to stay at hotels near the Indira Gandhi International Airport as flights out of Delhi may be announced at short notice. Hotel options can be found in the Health Alert,” it added on Twitter.
As of April 1, India reported 1,637 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, across 27 States and Union Territories in India. Of these 1,637 cases, 1,466 are considered active. One hundred thirty-two patients have recovered so far, and there have been 38 deaths.
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