Coronavirus: more than 160,000 Indians in UAE sign up for repatriation flights

About 40,000 people who have signed up for return flights have lost their jobs

An Indian health official inside a Covid-19 mobile testing van in New Delhi uses a nasal swab to collect a sample from a woman. Getty Images 

More than 160,000 Indians have registered on the Consulate General of India's website - https://www.cgidubai.gov.in/covid_register/ - to return home from the UAE when flights resume.

Of the total number of people who wish to be repatriated, 64,000 are workers whereas 32,000 are in the professional category.

Neeraj Agrawal, consul for press in Dubai, said about 40 per cent of the total number of people who have registered until Sunday were workers and 20 per cent professionals.

The rest are people with medical conditions, pregnant women and students.

About 40,000 people, or 25 per cent, of those who signed up cited job loss as the reason for wanting to go back to India.

Officials believe the numbers will rise as more workers learn about the website.

Most people were from the construction sector including labourers, plumbers, mechanics and semi-skilled workers.

Thousands of people also need assistance in filling up the details. Consular officials have requested people in labour accommodations to help those unable to log in their information.

Of the overall figure, about 1,000 people were asked to proceed on unpaid leave after the pandemic caused businesses to cut costs and stay home orders were announced across the country.

Discussions are currently on with the Indian authorities about flights to repatriate Indians living overseas.

Indian carriers may be asked by their government to charge fixed rates to help bring back nationals.

India has extended the lockdown until May 17 and eased restrictions in some states.

Travel by flights, road and trains remains barred between states as the country attempts to contain the spread of the pandemic.

Large cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata are in zones categorised as red with strict stay home measures in place.

International commercial air travel remains suspended but permission is likely to be granted soon for relief flights to repatriate citizens keen to return home.