Srinagar, Oct 24: More than 100 Umrah pilgrims from Kashmir remain stranded in Makkah and other parts of Saudi Arabia amid escalating tensions in West Asia, with flight cancellations and soaring airfares hampering their return home.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said pilgrims from several parts of the world were facing similar difficulties, as airfares had surged beyond their means despite flights continuing to operate.
“Flights have not stopped entirely but fares have spiked beyond what stranded pilgrims can pay,” Omar told reporters in Srinagar.
He said the J&K Government was coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs to facilitate the safe and early return of the stranded pilgrims. He assured the pilgrims and their families that the government would extend all possible assistance.
For those stranded, however, the prolonged wait has brought mounting financial and health concerns, particularly for elderly pilgrims running short of essential medicines.
A group of 50 Umrah pilgrims left Srinagar on September 25. After their IndiGo return flight, scheduled for October 13, was cancelled, 36 members were unable to return, while the remaining 14 arranged alternative tickets and flew home via Dubai.
“Every route home from Jeddah, whether via Dubai, Muscat or Kuwait, costs more than one lakh rupees per person,” said Waqar Mir, a member of the group.
He said the stranded pilgrims were borrowing money from one another to cover accommodation and food expenses.
“Medicines in Saudi Arabia are expensive and often require a local prescription,” Mir said, adding that some elderly pilgrims were running short of essential medication.
Several pilgrims had also experienced anxiety and panic attacks, with some facing severe psychological distress, he said.
Mir said the tour operator had expressed its inability to assist the group following the flight cancellations. The pilgrims, meanwhile, said the Indian Embassy had told them that responsibility lay with the operator.
Officials have suggested alternative flights operated by Saudia, flynas and Emirates, including routes through neighbouring countries. However, the high fares have made these options unaffordable for many.
“We are all on our own,” Mir said.
The disruptions come amid an escalation in the conflict involving Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi rebels, which has affected air travel in the region.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Thursday that around 3,000 stranded Umrah pilgrims had returned over the previous week, along with more than 10,000 others travelling on booked flights.
He said arrangements for the remaining pilgrims were under discussion, while the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah were coordinating with airlines and tour operators. Round-the-clock control rooms have also been established to assist those affected.
Saudia has continued scheduled services to India from Dammam, Jeddah and Medina.
For the Kashmiris still stranded in Saudi Arabia, however, the assurances have yet to ease the hardship they face.
“We just want to come home,” Mir said. “Our elders can’t keep waiting like this.”