Nitaqat: Indian expats in Saudi demand additional flights from Air India

June 5, 2013

Riyadh, Jun 5: Indian Expatriates affected by the Nitaqat laws have demanded Air India to introduce additional flight to carry Indian expats who are supposed to leave the Saudi Arabian country by July 3, 2013.

According to the reports over 60,000 Indians have registered themselves to leave the country by using the concession that has been granted by Custodian of Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.

With the huge magnitude of people opting to leave the country, it would practically become impossible for the authorities to arrange for departure before July 3rd with current available flight schedules.

India Fraternity Forum Representatives Anwar Saleem and Afsar Hussain met and discussed with Rinchen Tshering, Manager, Air India, Saudi Arabia, recently at their Al-Khobar office and discussed to provide air tickets with concessional rates to those needy and deserving among the stranded expatriates who are unable to bear the cost of their air travel back home to India, avoid charging heavily on the pretext of 'high season' for the leaving expatriates, as those are from very low paid employees and they are leaving due to Nitaqat program of the Kingdom.

The delegation also requested them to operate additional flight schedules to various destinations in India to ensure that the complete airlifting of these expatriates within the visa duration, with top priority in boarding them.

Mr. Rinchen assured that the national carrier will take necessary steps in consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Civil Aviation and their higher officials in India. He expressed their support and concern for the fellow Indians in the Kingdom who are affected by Nitaqat program.

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Mangaluru’s public transport revolution: 100 new govt electric buses to end private ‘trip-cutting’

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: Public transport in Mangaluru is set for a state-led transformation as the government moves to deploy 100 new electric govt buses to replace unreliable private services. The initiative aims to provide a dependable alternative to private operators who have been frequently "cutting trips," leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

The announcement was made by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV during a public phone-in session. The move specifically targets routes where private bus service has become erratic, ensuring that citizens no longer have to rely on a fluctuating private sector for their daily commute.

Restoring the Govt Presence

The transport crisis was brought to the forefront by Ramayya, a resident of Bajal, who highlighted a growing trend of private buses skipping morning and night trips. With the previous KSRTC (govt) services discontinued, residents have been left without a fallback option.

To fix this, the DC confirmed that the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme will bring 100 government-owned electric buses to the city:

• Phased Deployment: The first 50 of the new 100 government buses are scheduled to arrive by March 2026.

• State Infrastructure: Two new government depots, including one at Mudipu, are being prepared for operations.

• Recruitment: The state has already begun training a new batch of government bus drivers to ensure the fleet is operational the moment it arrives.

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