The Jains from Vile Parle are stranded in Turkey due to the lockdown; their money is running out amid the exorbitant cost of food and medicines and they have ailing grandparents with them
What was to be a happy family vacation has turned into a time of trouble for the Jain
The repeated extension of the national lockdown and global restrictions on air travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic has left a seven-member family from Mumbai stranded in Turkey for over 61 days. The Jain family comprises Amit, who is a CA, his 70-year-old mother and 80-year-old father—both suffering from multiple health issues and on various medications - his wife Chhaya, their 12-year-old son and twin daughters.
The family had left Mumbai on March 13 and took a flight to Istanbul from Delhi the next day. "At the time, there was just one case of COVID-19 in Turkey," said Mallika, 21, Amit's daughter. "My grandfather had seen Turkey in a few films and really wanted to visit it. So we planned this trip."
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Mallika said that before the family from Vile Parle left, quite a few travel agents had given them the green signal. "On March 16, we received a notification that Indians in Turkey will not be allowed into India after March 18, 12 PM GMT," she said, adding that they were in a remote part of Turkey and it was impossible to reach Istanbul in time and catch a flight back to India. The first lockdown phase till April 14 didn't bother them much as they felt it was for the benefit of the nation. "However, we were dejected when it was extended. My grandparents started to get worried about our return home. We were completely out of medicines for them. Also, since we are strict Jains, food became a major issue and we realised that we will run out of funds soon," she said.
'Indian Embassy not helping'
The family includes Amit Jain and his wife Chhaya, their three children and his parents
"The Indian Embassy is just telling us to be patient. We reached out to the Ministry of External Affairs through email and Twitter, but were told to wait and the government would do something soon," Mallika said. She added that on April 28, two Turkish Airlines flights left for Mumbai and Delhi, to get back stranded Turkish citizens from India. "We along with the other Indians stranded in Turkey used various social media platforms and contacts to try and get in touch with the government and get back home, but all in vain."
Mounting expenses
They have been staying in a small apartment for over a month. Amit said, "My father has Alzheimer's, depression, and blood pressure. He has four heart stents and partial eye vision. He asks at least 40-50 times a day when we will get back home. We have been purchasing medicines at exorbitant rates. Spending dollars for accommodation, medicines, food, travel insurance, and conveyance for two months is no joke. Then to get airlifted one must pay more than three times the normal fare — and again for quarantine."
As of today, there are approximately 1,41,475 cases of COVID-19 in Turkey. Mallika said, "We have to walk 2-3 kms with heavy bottles of drinking water, milk and groceries as shops near here charge more. We have also spent Rs 3.5 lakh more than our expense for this trip. But our main fear remains what if we catch the virus."
Mar 14
When the Jains left for Turkey
Rs 3.5lakh
Amount they have spent over the expenses of so far
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