Special UL charter flight to bring home hundreds of Lankans stranded in India

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday directed officials to arrange for special charter flights from the National Carrier to bring home Sri Lankans stranded in India after pilgrimages.

During the COVID-19 National Trask Force meeting chaired by the President, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa stated that hundreds of Sri Lankans who had gone on pilgrimage to different holy cities in India were unable to return due to travel and flight restrictions on account of the new coronavirus COVID-19.

Given the need to bring most of the stranded Lankans home, enabling SriLankan Airlines to operate special charter flights was discussed. The President directed SriLankan Airlines Chairman Ashok Pathirage to look into the matter and initially deploy two flights to bring home over 400 pilgrims currently in New Delhi and the rest later on. 

Honorary Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga was asked to speak with the respective diplomatic missions of the two countries to assist the process.

In a related development, the Foreign Ministry in a statement said Sri Lanka diplomatic missions in India were coordinating the early return of Buddhist pilgrims to Sri Lanka

The High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi and the Deputy High Commission of Sri Lanka in Chennai, in consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Relations and the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, are effectively coordinating and facilitating the arrangements for the early return of Sri Lankan Buddhist pilgrims currently in India. These measures come in the wake of the travel and other restrictions that have arisen due to the rapidly-spreading COVID-19.

According to the information gathered by the High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi and the Deputy High Commission of Sri Lanka in Chennai, there are approximately 1,200 Sri Lankan Buddhist pilgrims belonging to 22 tour groups currently in India. 

These pilgrims had arrived in India before the Government of Sri Lanka suspended Dambadiva pilgrimages on 9 March. However, these numbers, secured by contacting Sri Lankan Buddhist temples in India and tour groups themselves, may have some duplication in certain instances, given that some tour groups are on the move.

The Sri Lanka diplomatic missions are closely in touch with the Sri Lankan Buddhist monks at the Buddhist pilgrimage sites in North India and the tour groups themselves. The tour groups have been requested to expedite their return travel arrangements in view of the evolving situation.

Most of these pilgrims are scheduled to return through New Delhi and Chennai in the coming few days. The missions are facilitating their return travel including through discussions with the relevant airlines, with a view to rescheduling of tickets.