Stranded Karnataka Families in Nepal Seek Shelter in Kathmandu Bars and Restaurants

Quick Summary

• Protests in Kathmandu,Nepal have led to escalating tensions,forcing a large number of tourists from Karnataka to vacate hotels and seek shelter elsewhere.
• around 200 Indian tourists from Karnataka remain stranded, including a 130-member religious tour group that had arrived for the manasarovar sacred tour on August 25.
• wiht hotels and shops closed, travellers have been forced to find refuge in bars and restaurants as regular transport remains unavailable.
• Initially promised evacuation flights were delayed due to pending clearances; passengers reported the streets felt unsafe with limited movement options.
• The Government of Karnataka is coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for their safe return under instructions from the Chief Minister.Stranded individuals are reportedly safe as per government assessments.
• IndiGo and Air India have suspended flights between Nepal and India citing security risks at Kathmandu airport.
• Travel disruptions are affecting future tours: trips planned by Karnataka Tourism Society for later dates have been cancelled or diverted to destinations like Sri Lanka or Rishikesh.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The protests in Kathmandu highlight how civil unrest can considerably disrupt tourism, posing operational challenges for governments tasked with ensuring citizen safety abroad. For stranded Indians from Karnataka, immediate government intervention is reassuring but underlines a need for more robust contingency plans during travel crises in volatile regions. The shift towards alternate destinations like Sri Lanka within days reveals how travel industry stakeholders adapt swiftly under uncertainty while also emphasizing economic interlinkages between India and its neighboring countries such as Nepal.

Read more: The Hindu