<p class="bodytext">Indian nationals, who have been stranded in South Africa and the neighbouring Kingdom of Lesotho due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will have the opportunity to get back home as India on Monday announced plans to operate a special flight later this month.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Indian High Commission announced that as part of the Vande Bharat Mission's Phase 3, Air India is planning a flight from Johannesburg to Delhi and Mumbai on June 18, subject to approval from the government or South Africa.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-in-india-live-updates-today-lockdown-50-maharashtra-karnataka-tamil-nadu-mumbai-bangalore-delhi-bengaluru-kolkata-chennai-covid-19-news-world-narendra-modi-843634.html"><strong>For latest updates on coronavirus outbreak, click here </strong></a></p>.<p class="bodytext">Thousands of Indian nationals have already been evacuated from across the globe under the mission.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Strict conditions have been laid down for those wanting to return, including paying for the costs of the flight themselves. The fare has not yet been determined.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“Priority will be given to compelling cases, including migrant workers or labourers, who have been laid off; short term visa holders with expired/expiring visas, persons with medical emergencies, pregnant women, the elderly, those required to return to India due to death of a family member, and students," the High Commission said in a statement.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Only asymptomatic travellers will be allowed onto the flight, with all travellers having to sign an undertaking to undergo a seven-day quarantine period in Delhi, Delhi NCR, Haryana, Bhiwadi or Chandigarh at their own cost, followed by seven days of self-isolation at home with self-monitoring of their health.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Domestic operations have started in India from May 25. However, international passengers cannot take domestic flights without completing the mandatory period of quarantine in Delhi or Mumbai," the statement said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Installing the Aarogya Setu mobile app on arrival in India is also mandatory.</p>.<p class="bodytext">About 150 Indian nationals returned home last month on a South African Airways flight after approval from the High Commission as it headed to Mumbai and Delhi to bring home South Africans who had been stranded there during the lockdown.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Indian nationals each had to pay around 15,000 rands (about USD 1,000) for their seats, about three times the normal one-way airfare.</p>
<p class="bodytext">Indian nationals, who have been stranded in South Africa and the neighbouring Kingdom of Lesotho due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will have the opportunity to get back home as India on Monday announced plans to operate a special flight later this month.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Indian High Commission announced that as part of the Vande Bharat Mission's Phase 3, Air India is planning a flight from Johannesburg to Delhi and Mumbai on June 18, subject to approval from the government or South Africa.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-in-india-live-updates-today-lockdown-50-maharashtra-karnataka-tamil-nadu-mumbai-bangalore-delhi-bengaluru-kolkata-chennai-covid-19-news-world-narendra-modi-843634.html"><strong>For latest updates on coronavirus outbreak, click here </strong></a></p>.<p class="bodytext">Thousands of Indian nationals have already been evacuated from across the globe under the mission.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Strict conditions have been laid down for those wanting to return, including paying for the costs of the flight themselves. The fare has not yet been determined.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“Priority will be given to compelling cases, including migrant workers or labourers, who have been laid off; short term visa holders with expired/expiring visas, persons with medical emergencies, pregnant women, the elderly, those required to return to India due to death of a family member, and students," the High Commission said in a statement.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Only asymptomatic travellers will be allowed onto the flight, with all travellers having to sign an undertaking to undergo a seven-day quarantine period in Delhi, Delhi NCR, Haryana, Bhiwadi or Chandigarh at their own cost, followed by seven days of self-isolation at home with self-monitoring of their health.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Domestic operations have started in India from May 25. However, international passengers cannot take domestic flights without completing the mandatory period of quarantine in Delhi or Mumbai," the statement said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Installing the Aarogya Setu mobile app on arrival in India is also mandatory.</p>.<p class="bodytext">About 150 Indian nationals returned home last month on a South African Airways flight after approval from the High Commission as it headed to Mumbai and Delhi to bring home South Africans who had been stranded there during the lockdown.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Indian nationals each had to pay around 15,000 rands (about USD 1,000) for their seats, about three times the normal one-way airfare.</p>