Mangaluru: The Dakshina Kannada Hajj Umrah Private Tour Organisers Association has urged the Central and state governments and the Ministry of External Affairs to intervene immediately to ensure the safe return of more t…

Mangaluru: The Dakshina Kannada Hajj Umrah Private Tour Organisers Association has urged the Central and state governments and the Ministry of External Affairs to intervene immediately to ensure the safe return of more than 500 pilgrims from Mangaluru and surrounding regions who are stranded in Saudi Arabia.Speaking at a press conference here, association vice-president Usman Saadi Pattori said the stranded pilgrims include people from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Chikkamagaluru districts, as well as Kasaragod district in neighbouring Kerala.“Due to regional tensions in Saudi Arabia, flight operations at airports in Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah and other locations have been suspended. Although the pilgrims have completed their 15-day pilgrimage, they are unable to return home and are facing considerable hardship. They are also experiencing difficulties in securing accommodation and food,” he said.Air India extends cancellation of Saudi Arabia flights till October 20Most of the stranded pilgrims are staying in and around Mecca and Madinah. With a continuous influx of visitors to these holy cities, finding hotel rooms has become difficult. Temporary arrangements have been made for the affected pilgrims, he said.Travellers who had booked individual Umrah trips or planned journeys with their families well in advance are also facing difficulties due to flight disruptions. The government should ensure that airlines promptly process refunds in accordance with applicable rules for passengers affected by flight cancellations, Usman Saadi Pattori demanded.He also called for travel agencies’ concerns over losses arising from advance hotel room bookings and delays in receiving refunds to be addressed sympathetically by the concerned organisations.Association general secretary Zakir Ikhlas said the problems faced by the stranded pilgrims would be brought to the attention of the Central government through local MPs and the Deputy Commissioner.

Source: Deccan Herald