Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has ordered the provision of deluxe buses for Indian students returning from Iran, following their arrival on a flight that landed in New Delhi late Thursday night as part of Operation Sindhu. A total of 110 Indian nationals were evacuated, with 90 of them being students from Jammu and Kashmir, who had been in a conflict zone in Iran. Before arriving in India, the evacuees were transported to Armenia.
The Chief Minister’s decision came after students expressed concerns about the quality of transportation initially arranged for their journey back to Jammu and Kashmir. A statement from the Chief Minister’s Office indicated that the Resident Commissioner would coordinate with the Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) to ensure that appropriate deluxe buses are provided.
This response was prompted by criticisms from the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association regarding the inadequacy of the transportation options available. Students who had been evacuated from war-torn Iran thanked the Ministry of External Affairs for their swift repatriation but expressed disappointment over the lack of proper arrangements made by the Union Territory government for their onward travel to Kashmir.
One student shared, “We have been traveling for four days now. We were assured that we would be provided bus service to Srinagar.” Initially, the J&K administration sent three buses to facilitate the transport of students, yet these were regular, non-air-conditioned vehicles known to be in poor condition.
The evacuation highlights the significant presence of over 4,000 Indian nationals in Iran, about half of whom are students. The first group of evacuees made their way overland to the Armenian capital of Yerevan, organized under the supervision of Indian missions in both Iran and Armenia.
Original Source: https://www.firstpost.com/india/jk-cm-omar-abdullah-arranges-deluxe-buses-for-evacuated-students-from-iran-following-transport-concerns-13898540.html
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Publish Date: 2025-06-19 13:37:00
