MORE than 20,000 Indians living in Bahrain are expected to have returned home by the middle of next month due to the impact of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, it has emerged.
The figure constitutes five per cent of the total number of Indian residents on the island – estimated at around 400,000.
Those flying out are among the almost 30,000 people who have registered with the Indian Embassy to return home since April when the pandemic set in.
More than 11,000 Indians are set to return home aboard 47 official repatriation flights, as well as 15 private chartered flights, between tomorrow and July 16 from Bahrain to various destinations across India.
To date, more than 5,600 nationals have already left the country from May 8, aboard 32 flights as part of the Indian government’s official repatriation initiative, the Vande Bharat Mission, which completes its third phase today.
In the same period, an estimated 25 chartered flights operated by Indian expatriate associations have also flown home around 4,500 nationals.
Most of those returning home have lost their jobs in Bahrain and are heading towards an uncertain future, according to Indian Community Relief Fund (ICRF) chairman Aruldas Thomas.
“The ICRF is offering ticket fare to individuals who are in genuine need of returning to India,” he told the GDN.
However, a good number of people are taking a hasty decision to return home, said Kerala Pravasi (expat) Commission member Subair Kannur.
“I have seen that only 40 per cent of the people going back have lost their jobs, the rest are panicking and deciding to return home.”
A number of Indian associations have also launched plans to arrange “free chartered flights”.
The Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam (BKS) has already arranged 11 flights, with five more lined up.
“Financial insecurity (either due to being laid off or wages cut) along with the fear of coronavirus infection have led many to return to their home country,” said BKS president P V Radhakrishna Pillai.
“The BKS has already started a mission to repatriate needy and stranded people by offering them free air tickets.”
More than 3.6 million Indians have returned home from across 50 countries after the government launched its evacuation mission on May 7, according to the External Affairs Ministry last week.
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