PUNE: A total of 111 residents from Pune district, including students stranded in Dubai due to the ongoing US-Israel-Iran military conflict, have safely returned home, the district administration confirmed on Wednesday.
Authorities said that 184 residents from Pune were initially stuck in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) city, and efforts are ongoing to bring back the remaining travellers. Among those who returned were 80 students and four faculty members from the Indira School of Business Studies (ISBS).
Across Maharashtra, 164 tourists stranded in the UAE due to the escalating conflict in West Asia have returned in two special flights arranged by Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, a Shiv Sena leader, officials said. The flights, which landed at Mumbai International Airport on Tuesday night, brought back travellers from Pune, Thane, and Ahilyanagar districts.
The district collector, Jitendra Dudi, added that flights for 19 Pune residents still stranded in Dubai have been rescheduled, while arrangements for the remaining 54 travellers are underway.
Dr Janardhan Pawar, Dean at Indira University, expressed gratitude to the Centre and the Maharashtra government for facilitating the safe return of the ISBS students and faculty.
Flight operations to most West Asian airports have been disrupted since Saturday due to the conflict, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. The Centre and Maharashtra government have issued advisories urging Indian citizens abroad to stay safe, remain vigilant, avoid unnecessary movement, and follow instructions from local authorities and Indian embassies.
In case of emergencies, citizens are advised to contact the 24x7 helpline numbers of the respective Indian embassies. The Maharashtra government has appealed to its residents abroad to stay patient and rely only on official information.
For assistance within Pune district, citizens can contact the District Disaster Management Control Room at 020-26123371 or 26133522, Dudi added.
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