New Delhi: Amid escalating tensions in West Asia, the Center on Monday said it was in touch with Indian missions in the Gulf region to ensure the safe return of stranded Indian nationals as state governments across the country stepped up efforts to help the residents.
The Civil Aviation Ministry on Monday evening claimed to be closely monitoring the evolving airspace situation in parts of the region and said IndiGo plans to operate 10 special relief flights from Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) to various Indian cities on March 3.
The source said flights from Jeddah will be operated to Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad.
Read also | As tensions rise in West Asia, PM Modi talks to Saudi Crown Prince, King of Bahrain
“IndiGo has scheduled 10 special rescue operations from Jeddah to India on March 3 to facilitate the return of stranded passengers, subject to requisite approvals and prevailing airspace conditions. IndiGo is coordinating with the Consulate General of India in Jeddah to facilitate the passengers,” the ministry said in a statement.
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), which met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi last night, expressed concern over the safety and security of the large Indian expatriate community in the Gulf countries.
The CCS also directed all concerned departments to take necessary and feasible measures to help the Indian nationals affected by the development.
On Monday, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said the Center is fully prepared to bring back Indians stranded in the Gulf region and is in touch with Indian missions abroad to ensure their safety.
Read also | US war in Iran LIVE: Hegseth calls conflict ‘not endless’ amid Middle East tensions
In a statement, Joshi said that discussions were held with senior officials of the concerned embassies to facilitate the safe return of those affected by the war situation.
“Whenever Kannadigas and other Indians face distress anywhere in the world, the central government has ensured their safe return. Earlier, we brought back those stranded in Ukraine. Wherever Indians are, their safety remains our first priority,” he said.
In Maharashtra, officials said hundreds of people from the state were stranded in Gulf countries due to airspace closures.
Among those stranded in Dubai is Jalna Lok Sabha member of Congress Kalyan Kale, who went there on Friday, just a day before the joint US-Israeli strike on Iran, his brother Jagannath Kale said.
Nine other tourists from Jalna were also stranded in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the two largest cities and commercial nerve centers of the UAE, officials added.
As many as 84 students and four professors from the Indira Institute of Business at Pimpri Chinchvad in Pune were stranded in Dubai after arriving in the Gulf to participate in the “Global Immersion Programme”, an official said.
A Pune official said that the administration has received information about 123 persons from the district who are stranded in Dubai.
Read also | Iran attacks Netanyahu’s office, air force headquarters with missiles, IRGC claims
Sources said 300 people from Pune district who left for Dubai on February 26 through a health insurance company were also stranded, though officials said they had no information in this regard.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to initiate evacuation preparedness, strengthen diplomatic contact and create an inter-ministerial mechanism to protect Kannadigas and other Indians stranded in the region due to the suspension of flight operations to and from West Asia following the US-Israeli attack on Iran.
In a letter to Prime Minister Modi, Siddaramaiah said a large number of Kannadigas and other Indian nationals were stranded, especially in major transit hubs like the UAE, including Dubai.
The Chief Minister said that the Government of Karnataka has activated the State Emergency Operation Center and all District Emergency Operation Centers to function round the clock.
As many as 109 people from Karnataka are stranded in war-torn West Asia, his office said in a statement.
Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said that the Karnataka government is trying to bring back those stranded in the Persian Gulf.
“We have taken up the matter with the central government and sought its intervention,” the minister said.
In Andhra Pradesh, Minister for Empowerment and NRI Relations K Srinivas said the state government is taking urgent measures to bring back Telugu citizens stranded in the Gulf region safely.
The minister urged the Telugu emigrants in the Persian Gulf to use the helplines launched for their assistance.
“Since Telugu people are facing hardships at some airports, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and I are monitoring the situation regularly,” he said.
Noting that the government has alerted the coordinators of Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu Society (APNRTS) in the Gulf region to help the Telugu people in need, Srinivas said that efforts are being made to provide temporary accommodation, security and assistance in the homes of the local Telugu people.
APNRTS advised Telugu expats to travel to Muscat, Oman for repatriation flights to Kochi and return to India.
“The flights from Muscat have already started. We will direct them to take the Muscat-Kochi flight and then return to India,” Ravi Kumar P Vemuru, president of APNRTS, told PTI.
Meanwhile, the Telangana government on Monday set up a control room at the Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi to help residents of the state living in crisis-hit West Asia and their family members back home.
State government officials are closely monitoring the situation in the Persian Gulf region, an official release said.
In Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced a round-the-clock helpline to help Punjabis stranded in the affected countries after the joint Israel-US attack on Iran and assured them all possible assistance.
“The state government is in constant touch with the Indian government to ensure the safe and speedy return of the prisoners. Due to the conflicts in the Arab countries, many Punjabis are facing serious difficulties in those countries. The Punjab government has set up a helpline,” he said.
The BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have also released helpline numbers for those stranded in the affected countries.
In Uttar Pradesh, police said several people from Amethi, including four students, were stranded in Iran.
All are residents of Bhanauli village in Musafirkhana area of the district, they said.
Israr, the father of Syed Imam Ali, who is one of the four stranded students, said he had a brief conversation with his son on March 1.
“He (Syed Imam) said we are in the city of Qom, but there is no talk of war now. He then hung up and there has been no contact since then,” Israr said.
In Himachal Pradesh, Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan said no harm had been done to any Himachal stranded in the Middle East and said anyone who wanted to return would be brought safely once flights resumed.
The state home secretary is in touch with the ministry of external affairs and the Union home minister, Chauhan said.
“The exact number of people from the country who are stuck in the Middle East is not available at this time, but the people who are stuck are in contact with their family members,” he said.
