Picture used for illustrative purpose only.

Imran Mojib, Special Correspondent

The Consulate General of India (CGI) in Dubai has warned Indians not to fall prey to any people or agents making promise of arranging chartered flights to certain destinations in India.

The Consulate General of India in Dubai stated on Sunday that certain people and travel agencies in the UAE are contacting Indian nationals in the name of forthcoming chartered flights to various destinations in India and in some cases, alluring them to pay money in advance for airfare and quarantine charges in India.

"Consulate General of India in Dubai would like to advise all the Indian nationals living in the UAE that Government of India has yet not accorded approval for any such chartered flights as of now.  A proposal of chartered flight to India, if any, for any designated purpose, will be approved by the Government of India and routed through Consulate General of India, Dubai during the current crisis of Covid-19 and till resumption of normal international civil aviation services between India and UAE.”

Since the beginning of the Vande Bharat Mission, the Indian missions in the UAE arranged special flights from Abu Dhabi and Dubai that have carried about 5,900 passengers to various destinations in India.

A total of 1396 passengers went to India from Abu Dhabi including 351 in first phase and 1045 in second phase. About 4,500 Indians were sent from Dubai, including about 2,000 passengers who went back to India during the first phase of the mission and about 2,500 Indians during the first week of the second phase of the mission.

As first week of the second phase of Vande Bharat Mission completed on Saturday, Consul General of India in Dubai Vipul said that a total of 2471 Indians were repatriated in 14 flights to various destinations in India.

"We have completed first week of second phase of Vande Bharat Mission, during which we have sent 14 flights from Dubai to India. During the week-long repatriation, three new airports were added to the list which included Srinagar, Bangalore and Ahmedabad. Apart from that flights were sent to several other destinations. The break-up of passengers travelled to India through these flights included 618 workers, 497 medical cases, 417 pregnant women, 421 stranded tourist/visitors/students, 156 senior citizens, and 362 others,” he said.