KHATHMANDU, 14 May 2021, (TON): The Nepalese government has also permitted the evacuation of a number of Indian nationals using Kathmandu as a transit point to escape the flight ban in India.
Nepal on Thursday permitted a number of “special flights” as requested by foreign embassies to evacuate their citizens, a week after it suspended all international flights, except the two weekly bubble services to India, as it fought to check the rising number of Covid-19 cases.
More than 7,000 foreigners are estimated to be stranded in Nepal while Foreign embassies have stepped up efforts to repatriate stranded trekkers and mountaineers. Tourists from abroad have been anxiously waiting to get out of Kathmandu after the government extended the lockdown by two weeks, and cancelled all flights following a surge in coronavirus infections.
Rajan Pokhrel, Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal said that the evacuation flights will begin on Friday when Nepali private carrier Shree Airlines will fly several Thai nationals and Nepali students to Bangkok. Around 11 passengers, including Nepali students will avail the facility and on return the aircraft will bring cargo and 24 oxygen concentrator machines gifted by the Thai government and non-resident Nepalis in Thailand.
According to the Department of Immigration, Nepal received 22,450 foreign tourists by air in April. Among the total arrivals, 13,202 came from India, 2,740 from the United States, 803 from China and 685 from Russia.