Shabbir Ali assures support to Telugus stranded in Middle East

Hyderabad: Advisor to the Telangana Government Mohammed Ali Shabbir on Wednesday assured full support to Telugu citizens stranded in several Middle East countries due to the prevailing regional situation. He said the State Government was closely monitoring developments and coordinating with the Centre and Indian missions abroad to ensure the safety of Telangana residents.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has directed officials to maintain continuous monitoring and coordination so that Telangana citizens living in affected West Asian countries receive timely assistance. According to Shabbir Ali, the State Government remains committed to protecting the interests of its citizens who are working or residing abroad.

Telangana government response for Telugus stranded in Middle East

Officials said senior representatives stationed at Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi were in constant contact with the Ministry of External Affairs and the concerned Indian embassies in the region. As a result, the coordination mechanism has been activated to respond promptly to any distress calls from Telangana citizens.

To support people from Telangana and their families, the State Government has established a 24×7 Control Room at Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi. The facility will provide immediate assistance, gather information about stranded individuals and coordinate with relevant authorities for support.

Officials said the Control Room would also serve as the primary contact point for Telangana residents facing difficulties in affected countries and for families seeking information about their relatives.

The following officials have been assigned to manage the round-the-clock helpline:

Smt. Vandana Barua – +91 98719 99044
Sri C.H. Chakravarthi – +91 99583 22143
Sri Javed Husain – +91 99100 14749
Sri Rakshit Naik – +91 96437 23157

Shabbir Ali said the Telangana Government stood firmly with its citizens and would take every possible step to extend assistance whenever required. He also urged Telangana residents in the affected region to stay in touch with Indian embassies and use the State helpline if needed.

Recalling earlier initiatives, he said the welfare of Telugus working in Gulf countries had always been a priority. During his tenure as Minister for NRI Affairs in the undivided Andhra Pradesh government, several measures were taken to address migrant worker issues.

He noted that in October 2007 the then Congress Government facilitated the return of 1,241 immigrants detained in the United Arab Emirates for lacking proper documents, arranging free air tickets for their return to India.

In another major initiative in September 2008, nearly 45,000 people were brought back from Gulf countries through coordinated efforts of the State Government and Indian missions abroad. Shabbir Ali also recalled leading a five-member delegation to study the conditions of Telugu workers in Gulf countries and helping arrange their safe return when required.

He added that around 10,000 workers were assisted in obtaining necessary documents at the Abu Dhabi Immigration Centre during those efforts.

According to him, the experience gained from those initiatives helped authorities understand the challenges faced by migrant workers and enabled quicker responses during emergencies.

The Advisor said the Telangana Government would continue monitoring the evolving situation in West Asia and extend all possible assistance to ensure the safety and well-being of Telangana citizens living in the region.