Vande Bharat's Phase 2: Second flight with 132 Indian nationals reaches Gaya from Muscat

The second repatriation flight from Muscat, Oman, under the Centre's 'Vande Bharat' mission reached Gaya in Bihar via Delhi on Sunday with 132 stranded Indian nationals onboard.

Gaya District Magistrate Abhishek Singh told that the passengers of the flight hail from Bihar and Jharkhand and were brought from Delhi last night. They were only allowed to exit the airport following a medical screening under a Covid-19 protocol.

"Sixteen returnees hail from Jharkhand and we will send them to Ranchi by a bus. The rest of them will be sent to 14-day quarantine in Bodh Gaya and will undergo a medical examination every alternate day," Singh said.

He added that many hotels in Bodh Gaya have been established as quarantine centres. "Migrants living in those centres will have to bear the expenses themselves," he said further.

First repatriation flight from Muscat, Oman, under Vande Bharat Mission of the second phase, landed at Cochin International Airport on Saturday with 177 passengers.

The Indian Embassy in Oman said on Twitter that the first leg of the second phase of Vande Bharat Mission from Oman has been successfully completed. Around 1000 stranded Indian nationals are expected to arrive from Oman in the second phase of the operation which started on May 16.

( With inputs from ANI )