Government of India has imposed travel ban on all passengers including Indian Citizens entering and leaving India with so little notice on March 23, 2020. On April 14th, the travel ban was extended further until May 31st and we, Indian citizens followed it very strictly over 70 days even though we are in pain with being unable to attend deaths in family, high risk health conditions, being away from minor children, stranded in foreign countries with no money, stranded in India while rest of the family is in a foreign country.

Now, the travel ban has been extended until Jun 30th with Circular No. 4/1/2020-IR, which is ruining our lives. Link - https://www.indiainnewyork.gov.in/whatsnew?id=STVMem9PeVBMMHlwYkZnYm5lL3lnQT09

We, Indian citizens(NRI) stranded in India:

Some of us already lost jobs in foreign countries, most of us are on the verge of losing jobs, small businesses suffering, Minor children in distress due to one parent being away, our houses being foreclosed because we are unable to negotiate COVID-19 related exceptions with the lenders. As daily COVID-19 infections increase in India, foreign countries may impose a travel ban from India very soon, similar to how India imposed travel ban from other countries. If that happens, we will lose our homes, jobs, work privileges and small businesses permanently.

We, Indian citizens stranded in foreign countries:

Many of us are on temporary visitor visas and ran out of money and medical supplies including safety net with extended stay forced by Government of India, and also there are elderly with chronic medical conditions that cannot afford unforeseen medical treatment expenses. People having work visa lost jobs due to COVID-19 related layoffs and accumulating unauthorized stay in foreign countries, this will be devastating to us because we will lose work privileges permanently. People with expired work visas are also accumulating unauthorized stay.

Air India flights under Vande Bharat Mission helped some of us and we're thankful for it, but their capacity is very low compared with number of stranded people. For comparison purpose, in both phase 1 and phase 2, 14 flights carried 3500 passengers from USA to India, assuming 250 passengers per flight. During regular times, more than 3500 passengers travel from India to USA in One day, so only continuing it does not truly help.

Our ask:

Please allow limited international passenger flights to and from non-Air India carriers as early as possible.

There is no concrete reason for not allowing outbound international travel from India, so please resume outbound flights to all destinations.

We love India and we want it to have as minimal COVID-19 infections as possible, so It could be 2 flights per carrier per day leaving or entering the country or something similar, but any added flights to current limited Air India-only flights will alleviate this situation. Give about 14 days from June 1st(the novel-coronavirus's incubation period) and allow limited non-Air India passenger flights starting June 15, 2020.

Thank you everyone!!