The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has stepped up efforts to facilitate the return of Indian Umrah pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia, with Indian diplomatic missions coordinating with airlines and tour operators to help affected passengers return home.
Over the past week, around 3,000 stranded Umrah pilgrims have travelled from Saudi Arabia to India on available flights, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on October 22. This was in addition to more than 10,000 regular Umrah pilgrims who had also returned to India on their booked flights during the same period.
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MEA Coordinates With Airlines, Tour Operators
In a post on X, Jaiswal said the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General of India in Jeddah were engaging with concerned airlines and tour operators to facilitate the early return of affected pilgrims.
He added that arrangements were being discussed to help other Umrah pilgrims return at the earliest.
The Indian missions, with support from community volunteers, are also providing welfare assistance to affected Indian nationals.
24×7 Control Rooms Set Up For Indian Nationals
The MEA said round-the-clock control rooms had been established at the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General in Jeddah to assist Indian nationals. Regular advisories are also being issued.
The embassy and consulate have shared the following contact details for Indians seeking assistance:
Embassy of India, Riyadh
Telephone: +966-554412016; +966-542126784
Toll-free: 8002471234 (calls from within Saudi Arabia only)
WhatsApp: +966-536216082 (messages only)
Consulate General of India, Jeddah
Telephone: +966-12-2614093; +966-556122301
WhatsApp: +966-536209704 (messages only)
The MEA said the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General in Jeddah would continue coordinating with airlines and tour operators to facilitate the return of the remaining affected pilgrims.
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