Hundreds from Nagpur stranded in Gulf seek urgent help to return

Nagpur: Hundreds of tourists and pilgrims from Nagpur remain stranded across several Gulf countries following flight disruptions triggered by the ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran. Many faced depleted finances and growing anxiety about their safety and return journey.Those affected include tourists who travelled last month through private tour operators, as well as pilgrims who went for Umrah during the holy month of Ramzan. The stranded travellers from the city are spread across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. Many said flight cancellations, exorbitant airfares, and uncertainty left them stuck in hotels for days, struggling to manage food and daily expenses as savings run dry.Communication also emerged as a major challenge. Several stranded families reported being unable to make direct phone calls or connect via WhatsApp, prompting them to post SOS videos on social media. In one such video posted on Instagram, three Nagpur-based couples, along with their children, appealed for immediate intervention, tagging Union minister Nitin Gadkari, CM Devendra Fadnavis, and district guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule."We are stuck and our children are terrified due to the constant sounds of explosions outside our hotel. We tried contacting the Indian embassy, Air Arabia, and Sharjah airport, but received no response. We urgently need help to get out," one of the families said in the video, adding that while Bawankule contacted them, evacuation was still awaited.Among those stranded is former Nagpur University postgraduate mathematics professor KC Deshmukh, 66, a resident of Gayatri Nagar, and his wife, Manjusha, who are stuck in Dubai since Feb 28. "We landed on Feb 22 as part of a group tour. Soon after, the conflict escalated and flights were disrupted. Some flights to India resumed and a few tourists from our group were routed to Mumbai, but we are still waiting," Deshmukh told TOI, adding that around 30 others from Nagpur are stranded with them.Some airlines are charging 3,000 dirhams (around Rs80,000) per passenger, he said. "Our tour operator booked us on an Air India flight, but we do not know the date. We are in no position to pay such high fares," said Deshmukh. Most tourists in Deshmukh's group are elderly people including from Mumbai and Pune, he said.In Nagpur, the district disaster management cell issued a helpline for residents who travelled to Gulf countries and required assistance. Officials said they received information about 19 tourists — 11 women and 8 men — currently stranded in Abu Dhabi (4), Bahrain (4), and Dubai (11), with tentative return schedules around March 8. Sources indicated that several among them exhausted their funds while paying for extended stays.Minority Commission chairman Pyare Khan said he received numerous calls and videos from pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia. "At least 1,800 pilgrims taken by private operators for Umrah are affected. Most are not financially well-off and are worried about sustaining themselves during the waiting period. The govt initiated rescue efforts and they will be brought back soon," he said.Emergency Contact DetailsRamallah (Palestine)Phone: +970 592 916 418Email: repoffice@mea.gov.in) / cons.ramallah@mea.gov.inDoha (Qatar)Phone: +974 5564 7502Email: cons.doha@mea.gov.inRiyadh (Saudi Arabia)Phone: +966 11 488 4697WhatsApp: +966 542 126 748Toll Free: 800 247 1234Email: cw.riyadh@mea.gov.inTel Aviv (Israel)Phone: +972 54 752 0711 / +972 54 242 8378Email: cons1.telaviv@mea.gov.inTehran (Iran)Phone: +98 912 810 9115 / +98 912 810 9109 / +98 912 810 9102 / +98 993 217 9359Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates)Toll Free: 800 46342WhatsApp: +971 543 090 571Email: pbsk.dubai@mea.gov.in / ca.abudhabi@mea.gov.inKuwait City (Kuwait)Phone: +965 6550 1946Email: community.kuwait@mea.gov.inBahrainPhone: +973 3941 8071Muscat (Oman)Toll Free: 800 71234WhatsApp: +968 9828 2270Email: cw.muscat@mea.gov.in / cons.muscat@mea.gov.inJordanPhone: +962 770 422 276Baghdad (Iraq)Phone: +964 771 651 1185 / +964 770 444 4899Website: eoibaghdad.gov.inEmail: cons.baghdad@mea.gov.in / cons1.baghdad@mea.gov.in) / pol.baghdad@mea.gov.in