Ahmedabad: More than 20 arrival and departure flights from Ahmedabad to West Asian destinations were cancelled on Sunday, March 1, amid the US-Israel military offensive against Iran, officials said.
Several passengers, some of them Umrah pilgrims, hailing from Vadodara, Ahmedabad and other parts of Gujarat are currently stranded at airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Arabia, according to an MP and an MLA.
Congress MLA Imran Khedawala stated that several people from Ahmedabad, including those from the Jamalpur-Khadia constituency he represents, were stranded at a Saudi airport. He appealed to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for assistance.
“Amidst the Israel-Iran tension, many people from Ahmedabad, Gujarat and Jamalpur-Khadia constituency are stranded at the Saudi airport. The safety of every Indian citizen should be our priority. I urge the Government of India to take immediate and proactive steps for the safety of our people @DrSJaishankar,” he wrote on X.
Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil also released a video saying that Gujaratis travelling to America and other countries have been stranded after their flights stopped in Dubai, Kuwait, or Abu Dhabi.
“Information has been received that many Gujarati pilgrims who went for Umrah are stranded at airports in Saudi Arabia. I have also received a video from these pilgrims describing their difficulties.” he said in his post.
The MP said that he has emailed the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister and demanded that Indian embassies make arrangements to provide hotels and meals for their citizens.
(With inputs from PTI.)
