Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah seeks national coordination system to bring back Indians

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Monday, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take immediate measures to safeguard Kannadigas and other Indian nationals affected by geopolitical tensions in West Asia that have disrupted international flight operations.

In a letter dated March 2, the CM said recent airspace restrictions by several countries had led to large-scale disruptions, leaving many Indians stranded in major transit hubs, particularly Dubai.

Highlighting growing distress among families in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said the state government had sought urgent coordination from the ministry of external affairs (MEA) for the safety of Kannadigas and exploring possible measures to bring them back.

He said the ministry of civil aviation had been requested to work with airlines to facilitate flexible rescheduling, waiver of penalties and interim assistance for stranded passengers.

The chief minister has urged the Centre to strengthen diplomatic outreach through Indian missions in affected regions and to prepare a framework for priority evacuation or special flights if the situation worsens.

He sought a dedicated national coordination mechanism by establishing an inter-ministerial task force to streamline communication between MEA, ministry of civil aviation, state governments and airline operators.

Siddaramaiah proposed the creation of a centralised digital registration and information system to track stranded passengers and provide real-time advisories to their families.

The Karnataka government has activated the state emergency operations centre and district-level control rooms to function round-the-clock and designated senior nodal officers to coordinate with central authorities.

Siddaramaiah called for a swift and coordinated national response to ensure safety and well-being of Kannadigas in West Asia.

Earlier in the day, the CM took to social media to assure Kannadigas stranded in the conflict region of the state government’s commitment to ensure their safety and safe return.

He urged them to remain calm and strictly and to follow advisories issued by local authorities and Indian embassies and to register with the embassy/consulate concerned, through the helpline numbers shared by the Indian government.

Keeping tabs

“I am closely monitoring the evolving situation and the safety and well-being of every Kannadiga abroad is our highest priority. So far, around 100 Kannadigas are stranded in UAE (Dubai) and nine in Bahrain due to airspace disruptions and flight cancellations. Our teams are in constant touch to extend assistance,” said the CM.