Telangana Govt Takes Swift Multi-level Action on Saudi Tragedy

The Government of Telangana has taken serious note of the tragic bus accident in Saudi Arabia, reported to have occurred around 1.30 AM IST, involving Indian pilgrims travelling from Makkah to Madinah. The bus they were travelling in is reported to have collided with a diesel tanker about 30 km from Madinah. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed deep concern over the incident and directed senior officials to obtain complete information at the earliest.

State Government’s Immediate Directions

Upon receiving information about the accident, the Hon’ble Chief Minister instructed the Chief Secretary and the DGP to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, and Saudi authorities to verify the details, particularly concerning individuals from Telangana.

Control Rooms Established

To assist families and ensure seamless communication, helplines have been activated in Hyderabad and New Delhi.

Industries & IT Minister D. Sridhar Babu spoke to MoS External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh and sought early confirmation, assistance, and support from the Government of India.

Urgent Review at Telangana Bhavan

As directed by the State Government, Resident Commissioner Dr. Shashank Goel chaired an emergency review meeting at Telangana Bhavan. He assessed the preliminary information and instructed officials to maintain continuous liaison with MEA, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, and relevant Saudi authorities.

To ensure uninterrupted coordination, a dedicated Liaison Officer from Telangana Bhavan has been deputed to the MEA office, and will remain available 24x7.

Dr. Gaurav Uppal, Secretary (Coordination), along with other senior officials, participated in the review meeting.

Cabinet Decisions

During the Cabinet meeting held today in the state secretariat I'm Hyderabad , the following decisions were taken in view of the unfolding situation:

1. The Government of Telangana will provide ₹5 lakh ex-gratia to the families of all deceased persons from Telangana.

2. An official delegation will be sent to Saudi Arabia immediately.

The delegation will comprise:

Minister Sri Azharuddin (Minority Welfare)

A MIM MLA

An official from the Minority Affairs Department.

3. Telangana Bhavan officials are facilitating all arrangements for the delegation’s travel scheduled for tomorrow.

4. The Government resolved that, as per religious customs, funeral rites may be performed in Saudi Arabia.

5. The Government will make arrangements for two family members of each bereaved family to travel to Saudi Arabia to participate in the last rites.

Current Status:

Preliminary indications suggest that around 40 individuals from Telangana may have died in the accident. However, official confirmation from the Ministry of External Affairs is awaited.

The Government of Telangana is in constant communication with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General of India in Jeddah for verified information and further assistance.

The State Government reiterates its commitment to extend all possible support to the affected families and will continue to monitor the situation closely.