50,000 Indians e-register to go home
The data collection process would continue; however, we haven’t begun analysing the data as such.”
dubai — At least 50,000 Indian citizens have registered on the online portal that collects data of those who wish to travel home amid the Covid-19 pandemic in less than 24 hours since its launch late Wednesday night.
Consul-General of India in Dubai Vipul said: “The figure stands at 50,000 as of 8pm on Thursday. The data collection process would continue; however, we haven’t begun analysing the data.”
Following the surge in applications, the Consulate-General of India in Dubai has urged residents not to rush to register as the database will be up for several days.
“We are getting several thousand hits on the website for registration and have already registered close to 25,000 people. We request everyone to not rush to register today itself. The database will be up for several days,” the consulate had tweeted.
The web portal was launched by the Indian Embassy in the UAE and the Consulate-General of India in Dubai on Wednesday. As the website suffered a few technical difficulties due to the overwhelming response from users, the missions said they are working to stabilise the back-end operations.
Commenting on how the missions would ascertain on who should be given priority to be on the first few flights back home, Vipul said: “General priority would be given to workers in extreme distress, medical cases, pregnant women, and elderly people. There are also a small number of stranded students and about 19 to 20 Indians stranded at the airport.”
Vipul,
Consul-General of India in Dubai
Re-registraion is a must
The Consul- General clarified that even those who have registered on the Norka- Roots website, the Kerala State government’s initiative for stranded non-resident Keralites and visitors, will have to re-register on the mission’s website.
Since its border closure on March 22, tens of thousands of Indian citizens are stranded overseas, especially in the GCC.
On Tuesday, Indian government officials said at least three Indian naval warships and 500 aircrafts have been asked to be on standby in what could be the biggest repatriation operation of stranded Indian diaspora from the Gulf.
Indians welcome move
Indians wishing to fly home have welcomed the e-registrations and have called it a foot forward in the right direction. F.B., an Indian expat who wishes to travel to his hometown with his pregnant wife, said: “It is a step forward. Maybe the flights might take more time to get up and running, but as a soonto-be-father, I don’t have too much time left in my hands. My wife needs medical care and she can travel only in the next two weeks.”
Sudevan, another expat who has lost his job and has several medical complications, said: “I want to return home to my family as soon as possible. It is impossible to manage expenses here.”
Associations assist workers
Vipul has also encouraged community groups and Indian associations to reach out to the workers’ communities and help them register. The Indian community in the UAE have welcomed the ‘much-needed’ relief for stranded Indians.
As per Indian associations in Sharjah and Dubai, a majority of those wishing to return are stranded, unemployed workers and jobseekers stuck in the UAE on visit visas. In a bid to reach out to Indians in workers accommodations, associations have planned the release of instructional videos and helpline volunteers who will inform callers about the e-registration.
EP Johnson, president of the Sharjah Indian Association, told Khaleej Times that they are planning to create information videos in three languages — Hindi, Malayalam and English. “These videos will be distributed to camp managers of labour accommodations. Furthermore, we have also instructed our volunteers at the Covid-19 help desk to inform people about this facility and give them the know-how of how they can fill the form,” said Johnson.
He added: “What we need now is some clarity on whether there will be chartered flights or evacuation flights or normal flights.”
Roop Singh Sidhu, general secretary of the Indian Association in Ajman, said plans are under way to raise awareness among labour communities. “We already have a database of people who had listed their wish to return earlier, and we have collected their details. Our volunteers will reach out to them starting tomorrow.”
He added: “For the labourers who are not well-educated and do not have access to a smartphone or a computer, we are collecting their data and submitting data on their behalf.” Sidhu said since the system is overwhelmed, he will plan the applications for a later date.