228 Indians stuck in Mexico long for home

Kolkata: Around 3,300 Indians abroad have been infected with Covid-19 and the Centre has pushed back all evacuation missions to after May 3. For 230-odd Indians stranded in

Mexico

, this means a prolongation of their despair and fear.

With all flights cancelled, 228 Indians have reached out to the embassy in Mexico City for help. “India, as of now, has no evacuation plans,” ambassador Manpreet Vohra told TOI. Most of the 228 were in Mexico for work or travel. Though the embassy is trying to allay their fears, job loss and infection fears are rising among them.

Park Circus resident Junaid Alam (46), stuck in Guadalajara, told TOI: “My company sent me to Mexico on March 17. With the number of cases rising, the client terminated the contract and I was benched.” Alam, a technology architect at an MNC in Kolkata, said a benched employee has 35 days to find new business. If s/he fails, the company can terminate the contract.

Saikat Santra, also from Kolkata and stranded in Mexico City, said: “My company has arranged my accommodation at a five-star hotel, but I have to pay for the food...(which) is very expensive.”

Also stranded is Saket Kumar (27) from Bihar’s Araria district. An electrical engineer with an MNC, currently staying in an office-sponsored hotel in Tampico, he said: “I was to fly back on April 20. My parents are worried, but I can’t do anything to ease their distress.”

Several vacationers are also running out of options. Sandip Sen (68) and his wife Swati (64) were to return on March 27.

“We decided to cut our trip short and attempted to leave on March 21. However, because of the ‘janata curfew’ on March 22, we could not fly back,” said Sandip, who is spending around $125 a day on accomodation and food.

Asked if the embassy planned to help stranded Indians financially, Vohra said: “The majority of these people are in Mexico on business/employment visas, and their expenses are being arranged by their employers. However, financial assistance can be provided by the embassy on a need-determined basis.”