Telangana workers in Israel find refuge in underground rail stations during missile barrage

Hyderabad: For workers from Telangana in Israel, underground railway stations have turned into a safe shelter during missile attacks from Iran. While trains are not being operated, the stations have been opened to allow the public to take shelter since June 13.Initially these workers, roughly about 200, took refuge in buildings with large bomb shelters. But with bombings becoming more frequent, they have found these stations to be a better option to spend the entire night.“That is the safest place. We were all allowed into the station. The local Israelis who live in old buildings and do not have enough bomb shelter space also moved into the underground stations for the night,” P Sarangadhar told TOI on Wednesday from Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv. Last year in Oct, after the attack by Hamas, Sarangadhar had come to India for a trip that was planned earlier. He returned to Israel in Dec.“We have hardly been able to get any sleep in the last five days. Though we feel safe, we still have to be on the alert,” said Sarangadhar, who is from Nirmal and works in housekeeping. The workers are using the underground light rail facility at Ben Gurion station, Abba Hillel station and Bialik station.

As there are different levels in the underground station, thousands are being accommodated. A security check is done by police with sniffer dogs inside the station, a worker said. On Wednesday, life in Petah Tikva near Tel Aviv, where some Telangana workers stay, was promising to return to normalcy. “We heard sirens twice last night. Some buses started operating today and shops also opened. Some of my colleagues went to work and I will also go on Thursday,” said Gangadhari Ramesh from Mancherial, who lives and works in Petah Tikva.