KATHMANDU: Amid Gen Z protest violence in Nepal, several Indian nationals, including devotees returning from the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage, are stranded at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport after operations were suspended on Tuesday (Sept 9).
The Kathmandu airport was closed for operations following the violence that threw Nepal into chaos and resulted in the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
As per a media report, the Indian government is planning to send special flights to Kathmandu airport for the evacuation of Indian nationals.
The Indian Embassy in Nepal, the report claimed, is in touch with the Nepal Army, which assumed control of security operations after PM Oli’s resignation.
As Army deployed troops to restore order, the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said that Kathmandu airport will reopen from Wednesday (Sept 10).
“We hereby inform that the flights suspended due to adverse circumstances would now be lifted, which has been made in accordance with the decision of the Tribhuvan International Airport Security Committee meeting held today. Passengers traveling to the airport for flights are requested to contact their respective airline companies for flight information and to bring official airline tickets and identification documents with them when travelling.”
Meanwhile, videos of stranded Indians have surfaced on social media. In one such video, an Indian woman, who identified herself as Upasana Gill, has appealed for urgent help.
Narrating her ordeal, Gill stated that she had travelled to Nepal’s Pokhara to participate in a Volleyball league, but got stranded after protests broke out.
She said that her hotel was set on fire by violent protesters and that a mob chased her with large sticks.
“The situation here is very bad. Fires are being set on roads everywhere. They are not sparing tourists here. They don’t care if someone is a tourist or if someone has come here for work. They are setting fires everywhere without any thought,” Gill said, appealing to the Embassy to help her.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a fresh advisory on Wednesday, asking Indians to defer travel to Nepal and those already in the country to take shelter in their current places and avoid going outside.
“In view of the developing situation in Nepal, Indian citizens are advised to defer travel there until the situation has stabilised. Indian citizens presently in Nepal are advised to shelter in their current places of residence, avoid going out onto the streets, and exercise all due caution. They are also advised to follow local safety advisories from Nepal authorities as well as the Embassy of India in Kathmandu,” the MEA advisory said.
It further shared helpline numbers for any further assistance: +977 – 980 860 2881/ +977 – 981 032 6134.
West Bengal Chief Minister said that her government is also monitoring the situation in Nepal and stranded tourists will be brought back once the order is restored.
“I take the issue regarding the tourists stuck in Nepal seriously. I want to tell them to wait for a while till the situation becomes normal. We are monitoring the situation closely and will bring all of you back soon,” CM Banerjee said. - The Statesman/ANN
