New Delhi, May 11: As many as 4,000 Indians have been brought back from different countries by 23 flights under Vande Bharat Mission, the government said on Monday. During a press conference, Union Home Ministry Joint Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava said that around 4,000 stranded Indians have returned home from several countries in flights while over 5 lakh migrant workers have been sent to their home states by 468 special trains. Srivastava said that as many as 101 special trains were run on Sunday.

The Health Ministry added saying that people having COVID-19 symptoms should come forward to report so that they don't spread infection to others. The Vande Bharat Mission is an endeavour to bring home Indians stuck abroad amid the coronavirus lockdown. The mission, which was chalked out under the supervision of the PMO, was started on May 7 as two special aircraft brought back Indians from United Arab Emirates on the first day. Vande Bharat Mission: Air India's First Mumbai-Bound Repatriation Flight with 155 Passengers Departs from San Francisco International Airport.

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National carrier Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express had begun the Vande Bharat Mission. The Mission is the biggest ever repatriation exercise since independence to bring back stranded Indians from abroad, including from the US, the UAE and the UK. Nearly 15,000 Indians are expected to return on special Air India flights from 12 countries in the days to come.

, which is touted as one of the world's largest evacuation operations. According to the plans, these two airlines will operate 64 flights in seven days to bring back 14,800 stranded Indians from 12 countries. After the lockdown was imposed in different countries in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, Indians stuck abroad had been constantly urging officials of the Indian embassies, high commissions to make arrangements for their evacuation.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 11, 2020 04:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).