UAE is country for many Kokani People for Job & Business Opportunities. Almost 90 thousand plus people from Kokan are expats in UAE’s various Emirates.
Ongoing Covid19 emergency and lockdown of airports since end of March made more than 1000+ Kokani’s stranded in UAE.
Further the limited Vande Bharat Mission Flights added more struggle for their repatriation.
Everyone was waiting patiently for their name to be announced for VBM flight. But there were some restrictions of VBM flights to Mumbai airport. After waiting for almost 3 months, people had started loosing hope.
Many from the stranded passengers were visit visa holders who had came to UAE in search of job but to their despair they were unsuccessful in securing one due to slow growth in market.
The other stranded passengers were families on visit visas who had came for short vacation and were struck.
Also there were many who had lost jobs and wanted to return home as no source of income.
Few were passengers who needed emergency medical attention including pregnant ladies.
Some travellers had lost their loved ones and wanted to return home to perform last rituals.
Every traveller had a story to tell and listening to it pushes you to do something for them.
Witnessing all this naratives from brothers and sisters from Kokan Region, Dilawar Dalwai, Sabina Khot, Khalid Mukadam as main lead joined Nazir Hurzuk, Naushad Patel & Mukhtar Palekar who are also from Kokan got associated and took the challenge to repatriate stranded passengers.
Immense support was received from Rahul Tultule, CityOne Tourism, CGI, GMBF & Maharashtra Government to make this journey of stranded passengers possible.
The team had to go through various challenges in getting the approvals for chartering the flight as new rules were implemented back in India and Maharashtra State for smoothing the Charter Plane Operations as well ensuring control on increasing cases.
The entire team handled the situation with full maturity and being transparent with all passengers on status and progress. Sabina Khot Shaikh and Her husband Junaid Noor even sponsored 20 tickets for the needy passengers and 1 ticket sponsored by Mr Sufyan Mukadam.
The passengers were so kind and supportive that most of them stick together to the team and never backed out or shown slightest hesitation for being part of this journey.
All team members had to balance and justify their job/businesses during day hours and perform the community service as well. After weeks of continuous efforts and attempts, the first charter flight departed on 14th July 5 am in morning by Vistara Airlines and the second on same day at 10 am through Flydubai.
The remaining passengers were send on 15th July 6 pm through Vistara. In total 188 passengers were repatriated to their loved ones in India. While many were assisted to get repatriated through VBM and other private operators.
As group name was brandished United Kokani, more people back in India also came forward and extended helping hand when people reached Mumbai airport. It was great experience for all our team members here in UAE and set up good example of unity among community.
The noble cause was not possible without continuous prayers and support from entire Kokan Community.