Kerala has given nod to 690 flights for June in order to bring back Keralites from abroad, says Kerala CM
The state has also given its nod to 40 chartered flights. Of this, 14 have arrived and the remaining will follow soon. “The only conditions we have put forward is that fares of chartered flights should be comparable with the Vande Bharat fares and preference should be given to women and aged people,” Vijayan said.
Pinarayi Vijayan further clarified that the state had not said no to any incoming flights.
Vijayan was replying indirectly to allegations levelled by Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, the lone representative of Kerala in the Union Ministry.
On Tuesday, Muraleedharan had said that the Kerala Governmant wrote to the Centre to delay the return of state diaspora from the Middle East.
Pinarayi Vijayan also said that 140 flights had arrived in Kerala bringing in 24,333 passengers, since May 7.
“An organisation in Abu Dhabi will be operating 40 chartered flights,” he added
He said that some private airlines wanted to operate flights and Spice Jet had agreed to operate 10 flights a day.
According to the registrations with the state-owned Norka-Roots web portal, over 3.80 lakh people, mostly from the Middle East, have registered.