Punjabi NRIs reach Australia after months, to more ordeal

Non-resident Indians from Australia are struggling to return Down Under, but even when they land back their ordeal doesn't end. From flight cancellations, to being fleecing by travel agents, job losses, perpetual uncertainty and quarantine anxiety, they are facing it all.
After landing they have to undergo 14 days' quarantine in a hotel that too after shelling out at least AU$ 3,000 (per person) and AU$ 500 each for children.A group of more than 170 passengers has landed in Adelaide alone in the first week of August.
Melbourne resident Charvi Gupta, an out-ofschool-hours-care educator who had gone to Delhi in March for just 20 days could get back to Australia after five months. In the meantime, she lost her job in April. She says," It was really stressful booking flights. There must be at least 2,000 NRIs from Australia still stuck in India. I had booked tickets with Air India but they were cancelled. I rebooked tickets and paid 2,000 dollars for a one-way ticket. I will have to buy another ticket from Adelaide to Melbourne. “I am yet to reach home and am eagerly waiting to see my husband." She is under quarantine at an Adeilade hotel till August 17.
Navneet Choujar, the Sydney-based filmmaker, who landed in Australia after a struggle of five months in August, was declared Covid-19 positive soon after reaching Adelaide.
Choujar, who is in quarantine at a hotel in Adelaide, warns against travelling overseas. He says, "International travel should not be undertaken. The situation is uncertain as every other day the governments keep changing the guidelines and flights keep getting cancelled.”
He had to travel Chandigarh in March this year to visit his ailing father. After his father’s death, Choujar made several attempts in the last three months to come back, but all went in vain. “Twice I booked Air India flights and went to board flights in Delhi but these were cancelled at the last minute. It was quite frustrating and discouraging,” adds Choujar.
As for the expenses, he said, “I have spent AU$ 5,000 to get back to Australia that too after several attempts to book a ticket. After reaching Down Under, I had to pay AU$ 3,000 for hotel quarantine. I will have to book yet another ticket to go back home to Sydney from Adelaide.”
He was declared Covid-19 positive on his return. “I don’t have any symptoms. I do have some breathing issues and requested a room with at least a single window in the hotel, but failed to get one.”
Even other Indians who have come back to Australia are not too happy with the food arrangements in the hotels where they have been quarantined in Adelaide. Guests are not getting proper vegetarian food and are unhappy with the size of the rooms and lack of proper ventilation. Melbourne resident Charvi Gupta, doing quarantine along with others noticed people starving due to lack of proper vegetarian meals. She approached some people in the Indian community and arranged vegetarian meals every day.
To offer help with meals, Daljeet Bakshi, South Australia co-ordinator with Australian Sikh, Support took permission from the hotels and provided meals. Bakshi said, “We are providing meals for 55 adults and 19 children in association with an Indian restaurant, Chahat. Food is also being provided by Gurdwara Sahib of Allenby Gardens in the other hotel.”