Centre urged to facilitate return of Keralites stranded in Saudi Arabia

Special Representative of the Keralam Government and All India Forward Bloc General Secretary G. Devarajan. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu The Keralam government has written to Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu in New Delhi on Monday (October 26, 2026), requesting his urgent intervention to facilitate the return of Keralites stranded in Saudi Arabia and neighbouring locations due to flight disruptions.Special Representative of the Keralam Government and All India Forward Bloc General Secretary G. Devarajan said in a letter to Mr. Naidu that serious difficulties were being faced by a large number of Keralites due to the prevailing volatile situation and disruptions to air services. Mr. Devarajan said many of them had travelled to Saudi Arabia to perform the Holy Umrah, while others had gone on visiting visas. “They are now facing considerable hardship and uncertainty, unable to return to their homes in Keralam. The situation is particularly distressing for patients requiring urgent medical treatment, pregnant women, children and other vulnerable persons who are stranded and awaiting safe passage home. Their predicament calls for immediate intervention by the authorities concerned to ensure their safe and timely return,” he said. Proactive approachMr. Deverajan asked the Union Minister to initiate discussions with airline operators and take all necessary steps to resume regular flight services from Saudi Arabia at the earliest. “These circumstances warrant an immediate examination of all available options to facilitate the return of stranded Indian nationals,” he said, and added that a proactive approach taken during the COVID-19 pandemic was urgently required in the present situation.“I therefore request you to direct the airline operators to resume their services immediately, wherever operationally feasible, and to arrange special or chartered flights from operational airports in Saudi Arabia and nearby locations, subject to the prevailing safety and operational requirements,” he added. Published - October 26, 2026 09:26 pm IST