Calgarians hoping to reconnect with family members in India are facing difficulties as the country's travel restriction is extended.

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Kirti Pathak
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Calgarians who were trapped in India after a travel restriction was imposed in April owing to rapidly escalating COVID-19 cases in that nation will have to wait at least another month to return home. Omar Alghabra, the federal government's transport minister, announced the prolonged embargo on aircraft arriving from India on Monday. The restriction will now be lifted on August 21.

It's not the news that families who have lost loved ones wanted to hear. Divesh Jaitley, Suruchi Jaitley's husband, left Calgary for New Delhi in April to attend to a family issue and has been attempting to return home ever since. The first prohibition went into effect on April 21.

"He's been trying to get back for over 212 months," said Jaitley, who is at home with her three children and her ailing mother. Jaitley said it has been exceedingly difficult for her to be alone without her spouse. She feels that the federal government should have done a lot more to help permanent residents and citizens return home.

Jaitley says it's been irritating seeing the Calgary Stampede last week with fast testing accessible to enter into its Nashville North tent, and he wonders why the federal government can't utilize the same easy test for individuals coming off an aircraft in Canada.

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Jaitley is not alone in her dissatisfaction. Umang Sawhney, Sanjay Sawhney's son, went to New Delhi on April 1 for a family wedding and is still waiting for the travel restriction to be removed.

His permanent residency permit has expired while he has been stuck in India, further complicating his position. He was also set to begin classes in Vancouver this month. Sawhney claims that when the restriction is lifted, his kid would be booked on the first available aircraft.

During the epidemic, India has been one of the hardest-hit nations in the world, with a recent blood serum survey indicating that two-thirds of the country's population had antibodies against the coronavirus.

According to the World Health Organization, India recorded 38,164 new COVID-19 cases and 499 fatalities on Monday, well below the top of a massive wave of infections that peaked in early May.

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