Rs 8,000 for quarantine? Telangana workers in Gulf say can’t afford it

HYDERABAD: With the state government doing away with free quarantine facility for those returning home by chartered flights from various countries, lakhs of Telangana workers in the Gulf have urged the government to restore the facility.
Workers from Telangana who had booked their tickets to return home on chartered flights — organised by their companies, various organisations or groups of people — were in for a shock when an additional Rs 8,000 was charged during ticketing.

The workers were informed by the Telugu Association of Saudi Arabia on the new rules that had been put in place by the Telangana government. According to a circular (dated July 5), Rs 8,000 per passenger for seven days of quarantine in a ‘standard hotel’ will have to be deposited prior to the flight take-off. The amount will have to be remitted to the bank account of the Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation.
Reacting to this, the Telangana Gulf Workers’ Joint Action Committee observed a demands’ day on Sunday and said free quarantine should be extended to all the Gulf returnees irrespective of the flight — Vande Bharat or chartered — they take. Guggilla Ravi Goud, JAC convenor, said free quarantine must be provided to workers, some of whom would inevitably travel by the chartered flights also.
When the Vande Bharat flights began operating, the Gulf workers had demanded that the government provide them free quarantine. After several days of protests, the demand was agreed to. But, paid quarantine was introduced for those travelling by a chartered flight. The Gulf workers argue that they are forced to depend on money from their families in Telangana to buy flight tickets at an additional 50% cost. “Another Rs 8,000 on quarantine will be a huge burden on us,” the workers’ JAC said.