
The Indian Navy said today that it haslaunched Operation "Samudra Setu"(Sea Bridge) as part of national effort to repatriate Indian citizens from overseas due to the coronavirus crisis.
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The Navy said Jalashwa and Magar ships are presently enroute port of Malè inMaldives to commence evacuation operations for stranded Indians from May 8 as part of Phase-1.
The Navy said the evacuated personnel will disembarkat Kochi in Kerala and entrusted to the care of state authorities.
"This operation is being carried out in close coordination with ministries of defence, external affairs, home affairs, health and various other agencies of the government of India and state governments," it added.
Meanwhile, the home ministry said that passengers found to be "symptomatic" shall be immediately taken to a medical facility and the remaining passengers shall be taken to "suitable institutional quarantine facilities to be arranged by the states."
"These passengers shall be kept under institutional quarantine for 14 days," the MHA said.
"If they test negative after 14 days, they will be allowed to go home and will undertake self-monitoring of their health for 14 more days as per protocol," the home ministry said, adding,"the remaining persons will be shifted to medical facility by states and governments of union territories."