Mumbai, August 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
State-led rescue and evacuation efforts have facilitated the return of 106 tourists from Maharashtra who were stranded in disaster-hit parts of Nepal, while another 84 are expected to reach India on Saturday.
The tourists were caught in areas affected by flash floods triggered by sudden glacier and ice-rock collapses along the Nepal-China border. The first group of 106 citizens crossed into India on Friday.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a video conference with several of the returning tourists to take stock of their condition. The tourists thanked the Maharashtra government and the Chief Minister’s Office for coordinating their evacuation.
Fadnavis said the rescue operations had been facilitated by the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, which helped ensure diplomatic coordination and relief efforts on the ground.
State agencies are tracking tourists from several Maharashtra districts, including Raigad, Ahilyanagar, Nashik, Pune, Mumbai and Nagpur.
All 106 tourists from Nagpur have been accounted for and are safe. Four were flown directly to New Delhi, while 102 travelled by bus to Patna. After an overnight stay, the group boarded a Nagpur-bound train at 7 a.m. on Saturday.
A 45-member group organised by Sangamner-based tour operator Darshan Gunjal, comprising 27 people from Ahilyanagar, 12 from Nashik, five from Pune and one from Mumbai, reached Chitwan in Nepal. Due to road blockades on routes towards Kathmandu, the group took a diversion through Lumbini and is expected to enter India via Ayodhya on Saturday.
Another 37-member pilgrimage group organised by the Jai Girnari Shivdutta Mandir Trust in Raigad reached Saga in China. Accompanied by two doctors, all members were reported to be in good health. The group travelled through alternative mountain routes to Kathmandu Airport to board its scheduled flight to India on Saturday.
The State Disaster Management Department is also working to evacuate 11 Nashik tourists currently in Kathmandu.
The Maharashtra State Disaster Management Authority has established a 24-hour war room at the state secretariat in Mumbai. Citizens seeking urgent information or reporting stranded relatives can contact the toll-free helpline 1070.
District Collectors have been instructed to collect real-time information using digital geotagging through urban and rural local bodies. Families of affected citizens have also been asked to submit precise location details through the state’s assistance portal.
State authorities are continuing to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs and Nepalese authorities to facilitate the safe return of all remaining Maharashtra tourists.
FOLLOW NOW
