On Monday evening, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare put out a carefully worded circular with new travel restrictions to cont...
On Monday evening, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare put out a carefully worded circular with new travel restrictions to contain the novel coronavirus. One clause, in particular, set off ripples of panic: “Travel of passengers from member countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and United Kingdom to India is prohibited with effect from 18th March 2020”. Airlines were forbidden to board passengers bound for India from these countries. The ban will be reviewed on March 31.
Indians stranded abroad were initially confused – the government had not specified whether the ban extended to its own citizens. Indian embassies in different countries gave conflicting answers.
In London, the embassy initially said Indian passport holders would be allowed into the country. “My sister called the Indian Embassy [as] she has plans to travel back to Ahmedabad on March 20,” said Yash Bordia. “The Indian Embassy said the travel ban is only for foreign nationals not for Indian passport holders.”
Yet, in Spain, an embassy official had this to say in reply to anxious queries: “We would advise all Indian nationals to leave for India by first available flights by tomorrow if they are planning to go to India. Future...
