Coronavirus: Stranded UAE expats dismayed as India extends its lockdown

Stranded Indians yearning to fly back home to the UAE will now have to wait even longer for their return.
This comes as India on Sunday announced a third extension to the lockdown until May 31 to curb the spread of Covid-19, which has infected over 90,000 people in the South Asian nation.
India first imposed a lockdown on March 25 and then extended it on April 15 and May 4.
Khaleej Times reached out to some such people who have been stranded in India, as well as families who yearn to have their loved ones back.
Pratima Chattwal, along with her daughter, has been in Rajpura Punjab since March 10. Pratima, who had gone to visit her ailing parents two months ago, said she's holding up as an adult but her daughter is desperate to return.
"After my 13-year-old heard the lockdown has once again been extended, she has been quite upset. She is really looking forward to meeting her father who is alone in Dubai. At the end of each lockdown, we are hopeful that things would open up and flights might resume. But today we are feeling quite disappointed. With the lockdown here, it's very difficult for my daughter to continue even with her distance learning as even buying a small notebook is a huge challenge due to the closures. We appeal to the authorities to allow us to fly back to the UAE that we call home," Chattwal said.
Another family here in the UAE is equally feeling downcast. Shefali Panigrahi, long with her two daughters, is eagerly waiting for her husband's return from Mumbai.
"With the repatriation flights going from this side, I was hoping to hear the good news of people returning from India sooner than later. But the lockdown extension in India has dampened our spirits. My husband had taken my father-in-law to India for an operation. But he has been stuck there since March 10. I am worried for my husband's health as well because he is diabetic and sounds depressed over the phone as he is away from all of us."
Sharing similar thoughts, Khushi Panigrahi, the elder daughter of the family, said: "My sister and I are really missing our father. During a pandemic a family should be together, but not being together is affecting us mentally. We appeal to all authorities to have him back at the earliest. That's our only wish."
nandini@khaleejtimes.com