Cyprus returnees await resumption of flights

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 10

Over 60 persons from Punjab and Haryana, who are either studying or doing a job in Cyprus, had come to India in the wake of the Covid outbreak. They’re now in a fix, as they want to return to Cyprus, but there are no flights available.

About 20 of them from Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Gurdaspur and Bathinda gathered here to share their plight and decide the future course of action. Of them, a few said their visas had expired, but the Cyprus government officials had assured them of reinstating these after the resumption of flights. Despite repeated requests to the government officials, they were in complete dark as to when the flights would resume.

Gurpreet Kaur (35) from Sangal Sohal village of Jalandhar said: “Being just a matriculate, I had no means to earn in India. To feed my three children, I had left my house and started working in Cyprus as a domestic maid to ensure that my children could get a decent education. Now that I am stuck here, with no job in hand, I intend to return to Cyprus as soon as possible”.

Manpreet Singh of Jalandhar said he was pursuing a course in hotel management in Cyprus and was doing a part-time job there, but his visa had now expired. “I have been told by the consulate that I will be reinstated and allowed to continue with my studies and job, if I manage to get a flight from India,” he said.

A resident of Rampura Phull in Bathinda, Harpreet Kaur (22) said she was pursuing a course in hotel management and her spouse Rajwinder Singh was doing a course in business management. “We are stranded here as there are no flights. Our college does not allow us to go about our studies online. We are required to physically attend the classes,” shared Harpreet.

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