Families in Mumbai Await Updates as Pilgrimage Groups Remain Untraceable Following Nepal-Tibet Border Floods

Families in Mumbai are facing mounting anxiety as several local residents, including medical professionals and business travelers, remain untraceable following flash floods that struck the Nepal-Tibet border region.

The incidents involve multiple groups traveling for the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. One notable group of 61 members was led by Dr. Milind Chitley, a doctor-mountaineer and founder of the travel company Hills and Trails. According to family members, the group departed Mumbai on August 23 for Kathmandu and was last heard from on the evening of August 25. High-altitude torrents subsequently destroyed key immigration infrastructure in the area on the morning of August 26.

Sandeep Padhye, the brother-in-law of Dr. Chitley, stated that messages sent on August 26 remain unread, and it remains unclear whether the group crossed into China before or during the floods. Per the planned itinerary, the group was scheduled to drive from Timure to the China border on the morning of August 26. An official representing Hills and Trails has reportedly traveled to Nepal to assess the situation.

Among the missing are prominent medical professionals, including Dr. Anand Deshpande, a consultant in Transfusion Medicine at P D Hinduja Hospital, and his wife Dr. Gayatri Deshpande, head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Nanavati Max Hospital. Media reports indicate that the couple's last known phone location was logged near Gyirong Port along the border at 8.28 am IST.

Other families are similarly affected. Relatives of Mumbai resident Satish Patankar have approached state authorities for assistance. Patankar's brother, Sanjay, noted that a group of around 27 people reached Timure on August 25 and was expected to complete immigration formalities on August 26. Families believe the group may have been at the immigration center when the disaster struck.

Goregaon resident Rahul Desai reported that his 67-year-old father-in-law, Avnish Merchant, and four friends are also among the missing. Traveling through Richa Tours, whose India partner is Hills and Trails, Merchant's last message was received at 7 am on August 26 as the group departed for the border. Smartwatch location data from a companion indicated their final position was near the checkpost bridge around 8.30 am.

In the wake of the disaster, families have emphasized the practical difficulties of gathering accurate updates. Relatives have called for a centralized, single-window information system to streamline rescue, casualty, and fatality lists, reducing the burden on families trying to track official channels across borders.

"This unfortunate natural disaster highlights the critical operational challenges faced by travel and expedition businesses operating in remote, high-risk terrain. From a business continuity and risk management perspective, companies conducting operations in geographically volatile regions must maintain robust communication protocols and real-time tracking systems. Furthermore, the concerns raised by families regarding the need for a centralized, single-window information structure point to a broader requirement for better crisis response coordination between private operators, local authorities, and consular services during cross-border emergencies." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes