Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
While officials confirm only nine stranded, private travel agents fear nearly 150 CSN tourists are stuck in Dubai with no return date. The escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran has severely disrupted international air traffic, leaving travellers from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (CSN) and the broader Marathwada region stranded in Gulf countries. As per the divisional commissioner’s office, nine persons from Marathwada are officially confirmed to be in the UAE, seven in Dubai (three from CSN, three from Jalna and one from Hingoli) and two in Abu Dhabi, both from Jalna. However, the Travel Agents’ Association of Aurangabad estimates that nearly 150 tourists from CSN alone are currently held up in Dubai. Industry representatives indicate the overall number from the region could run into the hundreds. The variation in figures is attributed to the fact that many travellers had booked their trips through private tour operators, making consolidated official data difficult to obtain. Authorities have initiated coordination with travel agencies to assess the full extent of the situation. Flight cancellations and airport closures across key transit hubs have left leisure travellers without confirmed return options.
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Foreign tourists stranded
The crisis has also affected inbound visitors. Twenty-two tourists from Romania, who were scheduled to return via Doha, remain stranded in the city after operations at the Doha airport were suspended. Tourism stakeholders are coordinating efforts to arrange alternative travel plans for their departure.
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Advisory issued for Indian nationals
Indian missions across the Gulf have issued security advisories, and the state emergency department has circulated embassy contact details to district administrations. Families have been urged to inform local authorities about stranded relatives. Both central and state governments have advised Indian nationals to avoid non-essential travel to the affected region until normalcy is restored.
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Tourists who went abroad are stranded
“I am currently in the United Kingdom. My return flight is on March 5. Nearly 150 people from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar who had gone abroad for tourism are stranded in Dubai. There is also a fear that some passengers are stuck at various airports.”
- Mangesh Kapote,
president, Travel Agents’ Association of Aurangabad
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Arrangements are being made
“Twenty-two Romania tourists arrived in the city. Their return flight was scheduled via Doha. However, with the Doha airport now closed, their return journey is uncertain. Planning is underway to arrange their travel.”
- Jaswant Singh, president, Aurangabad Tourism Development Foundation (ATDF).
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Airspace curbs disrupt travel plans
“The ongoing crisis has directly affected my travel plans. I had come to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on February 24 for visa renewal, while my family is in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. I was to return on March 1 for Ramzan Eid, but the airspace closure led to the cancellation of my flight. Though the uncertainty is stressful, my family has told me that the situation there is stable and daily life continues as usual,” said Mushahid Khalique Khan (21), a final-year BBA student.