VIJAYAWADA: The state government, in close coordination with the Government of India, the Embassy of India in Kathmandu, and Nepalese authorities, has launched a large-scale evacuation of Telugu citizens stranded in Nepal.
HRD, IT, and RTG Minister Nara Lokesh announced at a press conference that the coalition government is committed to safely evacuating all citizens by Thursday evening.
Lokesh stated that since morning, he, along with Home Minister Vangalapudi Anita and Minister Kandula Durgesh, has been monitoring the situation in Nepal on the orders of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
“We have been working tirelessly to locate our people, assess their condition, and bring them home at the earliest,” he said. An emergency cell has been set up in AP Bhavan, Delhi, with a single helpline to track and assist stranded citizens.
A total of 217 citizens have been identified across 12 locations, with 173 in Kathmandu, 22 in Hetauda, 10 in Pokhara, and 12 in Simikot near Nepal-China border. A majority are women (118), while 98 are men. The largest groups hail from Visakhapatnam (42), Vizianagaram (34), and Kurnool (22).
All expected to reach home today
The evacuation plan is well underway. A special flight arranged by the AP government will land in Kathmandu by Thursday afternoon to airlift citizens from the capital. From there, they will be flown to Visakhapatnam and Kadapa before being transported to their respective districts. For those in Simikot, arrangements are in place to move them by air to Nepalgunj and then by road to Lucknow, followed by a commercial flight to Andhra Pradesh.
Lokesh confirmed that Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu is in constant touch, and they have spoken at least 12 times to ensure everything is on track. “All 217 Andhra citizens will be home by Thursday evening,” Lokesh assured.
“The government will arrange vehicles from the airport to their homes. Every Telugu life is precious, and this mission will not stop until every single person is safely back with their family.”
In a show of support, Lokesh also interacted with several groups of stranded citizens through video calls, reassuring them to remain indoors and promising updates every two hours. “Don’t be discouraged. It is our responsibility to bring you home safely,” he told a group led by Rojarani from Visakhapatnam.
The government has activated multiple helplines, including the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu and APNRTS 24/7, to assist stranded citizens and their families. “Operations will move on a war footing once flight clearances are secured. Until then, every stranded citizen will remain under round-the-clock monitoring,” Lokesh assured.
Minister Kandula Durgesh also addressed the media, highlighting the government’s commitment to the rescue mission. “We prioritised the rescue mission over political engagements, even cancelling the ‘Super Six–Super Hit’ tour in Anantapur,” Durgesh said.