- Several stranded Indian travellers found refuge in a shelter home in Ajman near Dubai
- UAE businessman Dr Dhiraj Jain converted his farmhouse into free lodging and meal facility
- Dr Jain deployed 11 cars, including six Rolls-Royces, to pick up stranded travellers
Amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia and the resulting flight disruptions, several stranded Indian travellers have found refuge in a shelter home in Ajman, a few kilometres from Dubai. The shelter has been opened by UAE-based businessman Dr Dhiraj Jain, who has converted his large farmhouse into temporary accommodation for people unable to return home immediately. Many travellers who found themselves without money or a place to stay have been offered free lodging and meals here.
Families from Maharashtra and Rajasthan who arrived in the UAE as tourists said they were initially frightened after hearing loud sounds linked to the conflict situation, but now feel safe and relieved at the shelter.
Every few hours, cars pull into the Ajman farmhouse, bringing in travellers affected by the travel chaos. For many tourists stranded in the UAE, the 80,000 square foot farmhouse owned by Dubai-based developer Dr Dhiraj Jain has become a temporary home.
For the past six days, Dr Jain, chairman of 1XL Holdings, has opened his doors to travellers. To ensure people can reach the shelter, he has deployed 11 cars, including six Rolls-Royce vehicles, to pick up stranded passengers from hotels and various locations and bring them to the farmhouse.
The initiative began around February 28, when the travel situation worsened, and many tourists realised they could not leave the country.
Stranded Travellers At The Shelter Talk About Their Distress
A National-Level Footballer From India Stuck In The UAE
NDTV spoke to Harpreet, a national-level footballer from India who is stranded in the UAE. He said he had already been going through a difficult phase after being scammed by an agent who had promised him chances to play football at the national level. As a result, he lost most of his savings. With the current travel disruption and conflict situation, he found himself stuck without funds. Harpreet said he walked nearly 10 kilometres and then relied on lifts from strangers before finally reaching the shelter, where he is now safe.
A Traveller Stranded Due To Passport Restrictions
NDTV also spoke to Mustafa, originally from Iran, who shared that he is unable to travel onwards to Muscat in Oman because of restrictions related to his Iranian passport amid the ongoing tensions. Mustafa also lost his bicycle during this period and has been facing significant difficulties. He is currently staying at the shelter set up by Dr Jain.
Rising Flight Costs Add to The Struggle
Several other stranded Indians told NDTV they are experiencing distress due to the steep rise in air ticket prices. One traveller said, "We are ordinary people - how can we afford a ticket that costs Rs 1 lakh?"
The Ajman shelter home is currently supporting many stranded travellers - including families and individuals from diverse backgrounds - as they wait for travel to resume.
