• April 21, 2021

Keralites in UK open Whatsapp group to provide support to those stranded in India as huge costs await them

Keralites in UK open Whatsapp group to provide support to those stranded in India as huge costs await them

By A Staff Reporter

LONDON April 21: Hundreds of Indian students and UK-based Indian-origin families have been sent into a mode of confusion and panic with India being added to Britain’s COVID-19 travel “red list”, which imposes a ban on entry to the country for all except British or Irish residents.

The ban means that those with valid residency rights returning to the UK after the deadline on Friday face the additional financial burden of compulsory hotel quarantine and tests costs, estimated at around 2,000 pounds per person.

Any Indian student traveling to the UK after 23rd April will be required to take mandatory hotel quarantine of 10 days (£1,750 per person). Plus there will be an additional charge of 2 Covid test when the student arrives in the UK (£210 per person).

Keralites in UK, under the banner of UK Pravasi Helpdesk, has opened a new Whatsapp group to provide support and disseminate information to those stranded UK Malayalees in Kerala and India. This group will also be able to offer guidance to those students looking to arrive in the UK. The main focus of this group is to share and disseminate valid information for those stranded to reach their destination safely at these difficult times.

UK Pravasi Helpdesk is a Whatsapp group based in the UK, which was formed in early 2020 when the international lockdown was announced following the breakout of the Covid pandemic. Initially the group was named as Malayalees Stranded in UK Whatsapp group which later evolved and continued to operate as UK Pravasi Helpdesk. Since the formation of the group it was able to provide advice, assistance and guidance to all those who were looking to travel to Kerala due to an emergency.

UK Pravasi Helpdesk has also written to the UK government requesting support to those stranded at such difficult times. They had sent a letter to the Home Office saying: “This is to bring to your attention regarding the current situation of stranded Indians with UK citizenship as individuals, students and families due to the fact that India will be  on red list from Friday. Above mentioned groups were visiting India due to unavoidable circumstances like family bereavement, medical treatments etc and are now forced to go on a paid quarantine on their return to UK and majority of them cannot afford the cost of the institutional quarantine.  Some of them are happy to arrange their own quarantine which are affordable and convenient for them”.

Those who wish to join the UK Malayalees Stranded in India Whatsapp group may join by clicking the link below

https://chat.whatsapp.com/KnsjfId22cP8W4BimYeFuv

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