As rising tensions in West Asia disrupted air travel and left hundreds of passengers stranded across the United Arab Emirates, an Indian-origin businessman transformed his private farmhouse in Ajman into a temporary relief shelter, offering free lodging, meals, and transport support to travellers unable to return home.
The initiative is being led by UAE-based entrepreneur Dhiraj Jain, who opened the expansive property after flight cancellations and airspace restrictions forced many visitors to extend their stay beyond planned schedules. With hotel bookings expiring and alternative arrangements proving difficult, the farmhouse was reorganised into a relief facility where stranded travellers could stay safely until their journeys resumed. Those accommodated at the site said the premises now function like a community shelter, providing food, resting space, and basic assistance.
To ease transportation challenges, Jain arranged a fleet of eleven vehicles to ferry people between hotels, transit points, and the shelter. The fleet includes several high-end cars, such as Rolls-Royce vehicles, which are being used to pick up stranded individuals and later drop them at airports once their flights are confirmed. The transport service has helped travellers who were otherwise struggling to find reliable local mobility during the crisis.
The facility has hosted visitors from multiple regions, including tourists from Maharashtra and Gujarat whose onward journeys were disrupted due to the escalating conflict. Among those seeking refuge is Mustafa, an Iranian cyclist who had entered the UAE while on a long-distance cycling trip from Muscat in Oman. With the security situation worsening and return routes uncertain, he arrived at the shelter for temporary accommodation.
Speaking about the effort, Jain said moments of crisis demand collective responsibility and support for those facing distress. Several travellers staying at the farmhouse said they were trying to remain composed despite hearing fighter jets and loud aerial activity linked to the regional conflict.
Women among the stranded guests have also organised themselves into a community kitchen group, preparing meals not just for their families but for all residents at the shelter. The cooperative setup has helped maintain order and ensure that essential needs are met during the uncertain period.
The relief initiative comes amid heightened hostilities in West Asia following coordinated military strikes and retaliatory actions that have disrupted transport networks and increased security alerts across Gulf countries. With flight schedules still unpredictable, the Ajman farmhouse has become a temporary refuge for travellers waiting for safe passage back to their home countries.
