Leading transport company KTC India has facilitated around 50,000 stranded foreign nationals across India to the respective international Airports in India to take the return flights. “Several Embassies and High Commissions including United states, United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, Brazil, South Korea, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Sri Lanka and Kazakhstan amongst others appointed KTC as the sole transport providers for the travel of about 50,000 stranded foreign nationals across India to the respective International Airports to take the return flights,” Gurudev Singh Ahluwalia, Director, KTC India, informed.
According to him, this responsibility during pandemic meant all precautions to be taken by KTC that includes sanitization of vehicles and drivers. “We adopted the highest standard of safety and hygiene. Drivers were provided with masks, gloves and hand sanitizers as well. We took relevant Government approvals for their travel and ensured that each passenger reached airports in time to board their flights,” Ahluwalia added.
All KTC offices across India worked 24X7 to ensure smooth travel of passengers. “We faced lot of challenges at inter-state borders despite all permissions. Vehicles were stopped by the police as there was lack of clarity of protocol. KTC team got all hurdles removed by connecting to the concerned authorities and several time it happened during late night as well,” he said thanking all concerned Govt. officials for helping them for the safe passage of passengers across states even during odd hours.
KTC offices in different states picked up passengers from villages, towns and cities across states. Some of the passengers had to travel for several hours to days together where KTC not only ensured proper meals and water but also hotel accommodation was arranged enroute wherever it was necessary. “We picked up passengers from practically all villages of Doaba in Punjab, as well as far off places in Gujarat, Kerala, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kashmir etc.,” he said and revealed that the longest road travel was for a passenger brought to Delhi from Imphal that took 3 days.
