A.P. sets up control room to help Telugu people stranded in the Gulf

The Andhra Pradesh government has established a central control room at AP Bhavan in New Delhi and activated a 24/7 helpline number (9871999430) to help Telugu people stranded in Gulf countries owing to the ongoing conflict between Israel-U.S. and Iran, Minister for NRI Empowerment Affairs Kondapalli Srinivas told The Hindu on Monday (March 2).

He said all distress calls were being directly monitored at the level of the Commissioner, AP Bhavan, to ensure immediate response. 

Owing to the temporary closure of airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain, a number of Telugu passengers were stranded at transit points. “Six Telugu individuals in Bahrain and ten in Dubai contacted the Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu Society (APNRT), and they were given assistance. Airlines have arranged for accommodation and are providing regular updates. Airports are expected to reopen on Wednesday, and onward travel will be facilitated upon resumption of services,” the Minister said.

The State government is also coordinating with the Ministry of Civil Aviation to ensure safe travel for any Telugu citizen requiring support. The situation is being closely monitored in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), he added.

Referring to reports of an oil tanker having been struck by a missile off the coast of Oman, Mr. Srinivas said there were 15 Indian nationals onboard, and all were safe. “There was no Telugu individual among the crew,” he clarified.

He said the APNRT has appointed 2-3 coordinators in every major city across the Gulf, and they were actively coordinating with local communities.  

Volunteers have joined hands with coordinators to effectively manage the situation. “We have been receiving calls seeking assistance for visa extensions, accommodation, food and emergency information related to the conflict,” Mr. Srinivas said, adding that no casualty of people from Andhra Pradesh have been reported so far.

APNRT president Vemuru Ravi Kumar told The Hindu that nearly 10 lakh people from Andhra Pradesh resided in Gulf countries, out of which about 1 lakh were registered with the APNRTS. He said the APNRT was in constant communication with about 120 coordinators stationed across the region. Mr. Ravi said that more calls were being received from those who travelled on tourist or business visas than from those employed or pursuing education in the Gulf.

“Visitors are more worried about the uncertainty. When they express concern, our coordinators are taking them to their homes and arranging accommodation and food,” he said. He added that the APNRT was suggesting alternative flight routes from Dubai and other Gulf locations to help stranded passengers reach India once services resume.

“The only worrying issue is about Telugu people stranded in Iran, where it has been difficult to establish contact due to network disruptions,” Mr. Ravi said.