Showing posts with label Airports Jul 2020. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Airports Jul 2020. Show all posts

Friday, July 31, 2020

Govt nod on privatisation of these 6 airports likely by August 15; bidding process may start this year

The Modi government is likely to give its go-ahead to the proposal for privatisation of 6 airports in the country in the next cabinet meeting, Zee Business’ Sameer Dixit told Managing Editor Anil Singhvi in this big exclusive, breaking news from the aviation sector.
Dixit quoted official sources and said that these six airports are Ranchi, Trichy, Bhubhaneshwar, Raipur, Indore and Amritsar. These airports are currently with the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The move is being considered to develop these airports on a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model, he said.
Aviation Ministry has already prepared a cabinet note and sent it to the cabinet. The final call from the cabinet is awaited.
The Prime Minister’s Office did a review meeting on investments and privatisation in the infrastructure sector in May. The PMO had given a deadline of 3 months for completing all the necessary work regarding privatisation of these six airports, which has been lingering for a long time, Dixit said. The deadline ends around August 15.
Dixit said that the approval is likely to come through by August 15.
Once the approval comes through, the process of bidding of these airports will start.
31/07/20 ZeeBiz

International ‘Air Bubble’ flights now operational from KIA, here's where you can check flight schedules

The Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) here is now open to passengers taking the
international ‘Air Bubble’ flights, announced by the Ministry of Civil Aviation following bilateral
arrangements with multiple countries. These flights will be operational till August 31, 2020.France, Germany, the United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Passengers could check with the following airlines on the latest flight schedules/destinations:
Luhansa Airlines (Ph: 1800 102 5838), (Website: https://www.luhansa.com/in/en/homepage)
Air France/KLM (1800 4192 033/ +91 124 623 3502) / (https://wwws.airfrance.in)
Emirates (+91 91670 03333) (https://www.emirates.com/in/english)
Etihad (1800 123 3901) / (https://www.etihad.com/en-in); Air India (1860-233-1407 / 0124-264-
1407/ 020-2623-1407) / (http://www.airindia.in)
Air India Express (+91 44 4001 3001) / (https://www.airindiaexpress.in)
IndiGo (+91 0124 617 3838 / +91-9910383838) / (https://www.goindigo.in)
In a tweet, the Bengaluru Airport oicials urged passengers to connect with the concerned airlines
and confirm their eligibility for travel to a specific country. The travellers will also have to refer to
the guidelines available on the respective country’s regulatory website. The guidelines are subject
to change.
30/07/20 Rasheed Kappan/Deccan Herald

SpiceJet facing cash and carry hurdle

Mumbai: Due to non-payment of dues, low cost carrier SpiceJet was to be put on "cash and carry" by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) from Thursday. However, the decision has been deferred after the airline requested for time to work out the modalities for implementing the cash and carry regime.

AAI has got the requisite permission from its competent authority to put SpiceJet on cash and carry mode from 0.01 am on Thursday, said a letter sent by AAI general manager (finance) to SpiceJet chairman and AAI regional executive directors of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Guwahati airports on Wednesday.

SpiceJet in a statement said: "The AAI deferred its decision to put SpiceJet on cash and carry. We continue to have normal operations at all AAI-run airports as before without any impediments."

In a follow-up letter to various airport directors, AAI GM (finance) said that the airline has been given time to work out the modalities and the decision to put on cash and carry from July 30 has been "deferred till further notice."

Generally, airlines pays for facilities provided by AAI like route navigation, landing, parking etc on a monthly basis. Under cash and carry mode though an airline has to pay daily for the facilities used at an airport.
31/07/20 Manju V/Times of India

Mumbai International Airport operates 21 flights to US, Germany, France under air bubble pacts

Mumbai: Mumbai International Airport on Friday said it has operated 21 flights to the US, Germany and France since July 22 under the bilateral air bubble pacts with these countries.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport catered to a total of 3,059 passengers that include 1,185 from Newark, 660 from Paris and 1,214 from Frankfurt, Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) said in a release.

It added that the passengers travelled through 21 flights between July 22 and July 31 after the finalisation of the bilateral air bubble pacts with the US, Germany and France.

Under the pacts, airlines such as Air India, Air France, and Lufthansa are operating on these routes, MIAL said.

It added that the first flight was departed from Mumbai to Paris by Air France on July 22, while the first flight arrived from Frankfurt by Air India on July 23.

The airport has ensured utmost safety of its passengers with standard operating procedures in place along with following the guidelines laid by the government to ensure a safe travel, it said.
31/07/20 PTI/New Indian Express

Delhi Duty Free Services unveils new online pre-order duty free concept

Delhi Duty Free Services (DDFS) has unveiled a new pre-order duty free service at Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal 3.
Available for international travellers with valid travel documents only, passengers can now pre-book duty free products via the company’s website.
Travellers can pre-book items to a value INR25,000/$334 for collection on arrival and up to INR200,000/$2,674 for collection in departures.
Those travelling with companions can obtain up to two litres of liquor per passport. All they must do is provide their passport details at the check-out page on the website.
Passengers must present their passport on collection.
31/07/20 Andrew Pentol/TR Business

CM Trivendra Singh Rawat announces Uttrakhand's first International airport in Pantnagar

CM Trivendra Singh Rawat announces the construction of an International airport in Pantnagar, Uttarakhand. This will be Uttarakhand’s first international airport. The construction of an International airport will boost tourism in the state as the national and international tourists will be able to travel with ease. The tourists can also conveniently opt for international flights for cities like London, New York, Dubai and Bangkok.

Till now only small flights were being operated from Pantnagar Airport. But, with the opening of the International Airport, large passenger aircraft like Boeing/Airbus can also be operated from there. Uttrakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat said, "This will also benefit local traders in Pantnagar as they can easily trade their fruits, flowers and vegetables on national and international level."

Secretary Tourism informed that Pantnagar Airport located in Udham Singh Nagar district is an important airport of Uttarakhand in Kumaon division. And, due to the specific geographical location and proximity to tourist places, the above airport is very useful for the movement of passengers and tourists. He also cited that five hundred to six hundred buildings are located around the present Pantnagar Airport and a population of five thousand to six thousand is inhabited, due to which it is not possible to expand it. The Pantnagar University land was selected from various land options for the construction of the new Green Felt Airport.On the basis of Pre feasibility report survey by Aircraft Fall Authority of India, the 1072 acres of land was found technically suitable for the construction of airport.
He further informed that apart from international flights, the flight services for Dehradun, Pithoragarh and other districts will also be started. This will also reduce the time of travelling from the hilly areas. The international airport will be constructed in around 1100 acres of land. Construction of one run way is proposed in the first phase and expansion will be given in the second phase.The airport is proposed to be expanded in two phases. After the second phase, this airport will fulfill the requirements of regional air traffic for 50 years.
31/07/20 BW Hotelier

Bengaluru Airport acquires Mediterranean flora & fauna, dragon trees between 80-400 years old

Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) is trying to make the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru a one-stop location for exotic, endangered and endemic species of flora and fauna. The BIAL has imported the exotic Mediterranean trees and plants from Spain and Italy. This includes world-renowned Dragon Trees (Dracaena Draco) and Cupressus varieties.
After a 10-week voyage from Europe, followed by a two-day road trip from Mumbai, the trees and plants, packed in temperature-controlled containers, have arrived in Bengaluru in good health. All the plants and trees will be kept in a greenhouse for 10 weeks to acclimatise to the local weather and soil conditions, before they are moved to their respective locations. The arrival of this consignment marks the beginning of the process of acquiring exotic, rare, endangered and threatened flora and fauna from across the world, BIAL said in a press release.

“The BIAL has always focused on maintaining aesthetic green spaces – right from the inception of BLR Airport. The gardens at the Airport are one of our most outstanding features, and passengers have now come to expect this natural beauty when they pass through the Airport. In keeping with Bengaluru’s image as the Garden City of India, BIAL is working to reflect this image at the Airport by creating world-class landscapes. This will ensure that our landscape endorses the building of biodiversity and sustainability, in keeping with the garden-themed Terminal 2,” said Prasannamurti Desai, Head, Landscaping, BIAL.
The Dragon Trees that arrived at the Airport are between 80 to 400 years old. They are one of the oldest trees in the world. According to Greek mythology, the dragon trees were believed to have emerged from the blood of the hundred-headed dragon, Ladon.
31/07/20 Economic Times

Thursday, July 30, 2020

Restrictions on flights to Kolkata from six cities including Delhi and Mumbai extended till August 15

The Kolkata Airport on Thursday announced that restrictions on flights arriving in Kolkata from six cities--Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Nagpur and Ahmedabad has been extended till August 15, amid the prevailing coronavirus crisis. The step has been taken as these cities are COVID-19 hotspots.

Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter it said, "The restriction on arriving flights to Kolkata Airport from 6 cities viz Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Nagpur & Ahmedabad has been extended upto 15th August 2020."
On July 17, the Kolkata Airport had announced that restrictions on flights arriving in Kolkata from these six cities have been extended till July 31.
30/07/20 ZeeNews

Woman on way to board flight to US flees after testing positive for Covid-19, caught at airport

Ahmedabad: A 48-year-old woman, who was heading to the airport to board a flight to travel to the US on Thursday tested positive for Covid-19 at one of the Ahmedabad border checkpoints where antigen testing was done, defied the protocol of immediate isolation and fled to the airport from where she was taken to the Civil Hospital. Other passengers accompanying her were allowed to fly.

According to police, a sports utility vehicle carrying four passengers and passing along the expressway highway was stopped near the SP Ring Road-Himmatnagar exit for standard antigen testing at around 4 pm, as per protocol for passengers entering Ahmedabad. The woman in the vehicle tested positive, while her co-passengers tested negative. Of the 3,500 travellers tested on Thursday, she was the only one to test positive.

Assistant municipal commissioner of east zone at Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, Tejas Bhandari said, “When she was told about her result, she hoodwinked the medical team there and fled. We coordinated with the airport and hospital administration. With our timely intervention, we ensured that the public health wasn’t put at risk as she was going to board a flight… her health was also at risk.” Bhandari contacted the terminal manager Navin Yadav who issued a look out alert for the woman.
She was whisked away by the emergency ambulance service at the airport and admitted to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. Bhandari added that there is no system of checking for Aarogya Setu at the testing checkpoints yet.

According to KC Rathva, incharge officer of Airport police station, his team was also put on alert after health officials informed that a Covid-positive passenger was on her way to the airport.

“The airport staff and health authorities coordinated with each other as soon as the Tavera car left the toll plaza on SP ring road. Police were part of the exercise as airport staff intercepted the car and isolated the patient in an 108 ambulance,” Rathva said.
30/07/20 Indian Express

Flight Carrying 145 Indians From Kyrgyzstan Lands At Indore Airport

Indore: A flight carrying 145 Indians from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan landed at Indore's Devi Ahilyabai Holkar International Airport on Wednesday.
The flight was carrying a total 146 passengers of which 145 came to Indore. These were all medical students who had gone to Kyrgyzstan to study. One passenger was taken to Delhi.

Nodal Officer for coronavirus Dr Amit Malakar told that among the passengers who reached Indore some of them are from Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and other states.

"An Air India flight brought back 145 passengers to Indore. All the passengers will be kept under institutional paid quarantine for seven days while they will then be quarantined at home for seven days. All of them were checked by the Health Department at the airport," he added.

Families had reached Indore to receive their children from the airport.

Speaking to ANI, Abdul Sattar, a resident of Bhopal said, "My two daughters are returning after completing there MBBS. They do visit us every year in the month of June. They stayed inside their house for three months there."

"My daughter is pursuing medical course currently, it's been five years almost. She came in June last year but due to COVID-19 crisis she couldn't visit us this year but finally, she is returning today. Students, there are in panic but now they are returning," said Pradeep Kumar, a resident of Chhattisgarh.
30/07/20 ANI/NDTV

AAI defers decision to put SpiceJet on cash and carry mode

Mumbai: Airports Authority of India (AAI) has "deferred" its decision to put SpiceJet NSE -0.95 % on cash and carry mode till further notice and operations of the carrier continue to be normal as before, an airline spokesperson said on Thursday. On Wednesday, state-owned AAI had decided to put the carrier on cash and carry mode but the decision was deferred later in the day.
Airlines usually pay monthly charges to airport operators. Under the cash and carry mode, carriers have to make payments on a daily basis to avail services for their flights.
"The Airports Authority of India (has) deferred its decision to put SpiceJet on cash and carry. We continue to have normal operations at all AAI-run airports as before without any impediments," the airline spokesperson said.
The response was for a query on whether AAI has put the airline on cash and carry mode.
AAI had told its regional executive directors on Wednesday to work out modalities for implementing the cash and carry mode for SpiceJet. However, later on Wednesday, the decision was deferred till further orders, according to communications issued by AAI.
30/07/20 PTI/Economic Times

Vijayawada airport flies high

Vijayawada: The Vijayawada International Airport has reached a new milestone by handling over 10,000 international passengers in a short span despite several shortcomings.

Until May this year, the airport handled only one international service to Singapore for about seven months witnessing over 10,000 passengers at the old airport terminal which has been converted into the makeshift international terminal.
However, the Central government's Vande Bharat Mission (VMB) to bring back Indians stuck in various nations during the pandemic has necessitated the city airport to rise to the occasion even with meager staff and facilities.

Between May 20 and July 29, the airport handled 73 international flights and 10,244 passengers from various countries on 46 operational days. The international airlines that made direct landings in the airport include Jazeera Airways, Kuwait Airways, FlyDubai, Air Arabia, Salam Air and a few others besides Indian airlines Air India Express, Indigo, Air India, and SpiceJet.
"When compared to all established airports, the city airport has limited infrastructure to handle international passengers. Currently, we are operating in the terminal spreading over 3,600 square meters. Handling two services a week had been challenging then and now we are handling three to four flights a day by incorporating COVID screening facilities and other additional services in the same space," airport director G. Madhusudhan Rao told The Hindu.
“The resumption of services was with the VBM scheme and now we are receiving more chartered flights arranged by the State government, employers of the returnees or NGOs. We are ensuring smooth operations though we have only one team each for customs, immigration, medical and airport staff. It has been a team effort of all the wings,” he added. Besides international terminal staff, nearly 120 personnel of various wings work at the airport.
29/07/20 Tharun Boda/The Hindu

Jammu, Srinagar Airports receive 25 domestic flights with 2,463 passengers

Jammu: On day 67 of resumption of routine domestic operations in Jammu and Kashmir, 25 domestic flights with 2,463 passengers on board today arrived at Jammu and Srinagar Airports.
A total of 777 passengers aboard 10 regular commercial flights arrived at the Jammu Airport while 15 domestic flights with about 1686 passengers on board landed at Srinagar Airport today.
Pertinently, Jammu Airport Authorities have received a total of 515 domestic flights with 38,449 passengers while Srinagar Airport Authorities have received 831 domestic flights with 1,06,750 passengers since 25th of May till date.
Also, the Jammu and Kashmir government has brought back about 3,676 passengers from various countries to the Union Territory through special evacuation flights in the wake of global pandemic till date.
After arrival, all the passengers were tested for the COVID-19 and transported to their destinations at both the airports amid strict observance of all necessary preventive protocols.
30/07/20 India Education Diary

KIA halts cargo operations as 2 turn Covid-19 positive

Bengaluru: Cargo operations at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) were halted on Thursday morning after at least two employees contracted the coronavirus infection in three days.
The air cargo complex, spread across Menzies Bobba and Air India SATS buildings, has been sealed for two days for sanitisation. The operations are expected to resume on Saturday morning.
An executive assistant in the administrative wing of the Bangalore customs unit (cargo), tested positive on Monday, according to an airport official, who didn’t want to be identified as he is not authorised to speak to the media.
Following the positive report, staff working on the ground floor of the cargo complex underwent tests and were quarantined. On Wednesday, a customs officer turned positive. All employees were then isolated and the two buildings that also have several other offices were sealed.
30/07/20 Petlee Peter/Times of India

A.P. govt. cancels Nellore international airport concession agreement

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government has terminated the concession agreement entered by the AP Airports Development Corporation Ltd. (APADCL) and the Nellore International Airport Private Ltd. for the development of a greenfield airport at Dagadarthi in Nellore district due to the failure of SCL-Turbo Consortium Pvt. Ltd. to achieve financial closure.

The project was awarded to the consortium on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer basis in September 2017 for developing the airport in 1,352 acres.

According to G.O. MS No.5 issued by special chief secretary (industries and commerce) R. Karikal Valaven, the agreement was signed on June 21, 2018 but the developer is yet to complete the financial closure, which should have been done by December 21, 2018.

Multiple extensions were granted up to July 15, 2019 which was more than one year from the date of signing of the concession agreement. After the above date, no extension of time was either sought or granted.

Besides, the land is not free from encumbrances and the lenders have not come forward to fund the project.
30/07/20 V. Raghavendra/The Hindu

Flight service likely to restart on five more routes from Hubballi airport soon

Hubballi: The air traffic from Hubballi airport, which had come to standstill after the outbreak of Covid-19, is slowing picking up as flight service on five more sections are likely to restart by the second half of August. Both StarAir and IndiGo Airlines have already announced their schedule and started booking of tickets.

The flight service was suspended from airports in the country, including Hubballi, in March. Though the service was restarted later on Bengaluru and Hindon sections, they were suspended due to lack of passengers. In the mid-June, IndiGo restarted service on Hubballi-Kannur and Hubballi-Goa sections, it later suspended Goa service and added the Bengaluru route. Now, flights are being operated on Hubballi-Bengaluru and Hubballi-Kannur routes from the airport.

Hubballi is one of the important business hubs and hundreds of people have been using the air service for the last couple of years. With the government relaxing the lockdown norms, there is a huge demand from people to restart flight service.

The StarAir had recently announced its plan to operate Embraer flights to Bengaluru and Hindon (New Delhi) from August 16. It also started ticket booking for these two routes. Likewise, IndiGo has also announced restarting of flight service on a few of its old sections and also started ticket booking.
31/07/20 New Indian Express

Court asks NIA to present proof to link terrorism and gold smuggling

Kochi: As the terrorism link in the recent incident of gold smuggling via the diplomatic channel is still being debated, the NIA Court here on Wednesday asked the national agency to present details of incriminating materials that point to this. The court asked this when the bail application of Swapna Suresh was considered.Judge P Krishnakumar asked the NIA to submit the case diary and list out details of incriminating materials in it that can link the terrorism angle in the case. Prosecutor of NIA Arjun Ambalapatta said after going through the case diary, the court will be convinced about the terrorist link behind the gold smuggling. He said proceeds of the gold smuggled in earlier were directed towards terrorism activities.

Arjun also said Swapna was used by the smuggling gang under K T Rameez to send gold through the diplomatic baggage. “If there was no Swapna, the gang could not have sent the gold through the diplomatic channel. We have collected incriminating evidence to establish that the accused persons intended to destabilise the nation’s monetary security by planning to smuggle the maximum quantities of gold during the lockdown period,” he said.

Swapna’s counsel Geo Paul said there was an ugly haste from the part of NIA to make her an accused which, he suspects, was due to political reasons. “The NIA registered the FIR on July 10, five days after the Customs opened the diplomatic baggage at Thiruvananthapuram airport. When the NIA registered the FIR, Swapna was not even an accused in the Customs case. There was an ugly haste due to political reasons in making Swapna an accused in the NIA case,” he said.
30/07/20 New Indian Express

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Both LDF and UDF favoured foreign consultancies for airport projects

Thiruvananthapuram: Kitco, CIAL overlooked in hiring Louis Berger for Sabarimala airport project,Previous UDF govt had first hired AECOM for Kannur airport, The UDF govt later had to hire Kitco via backdoor to complete work on time
While the government comes under fire for hiring various consultants, with the Opposition on Tuesday questioning the appointment of US-based Louis Berger for the feasibility study of proposed Sabarimala airport at Cheruvally estate, the truth is both LDF and UDF governments have overlooked competent state agencies for several projects.The government appointed Louis Berger in 2017 overlooking firms like Kerala Industrial and Technology Consultancy Organisation (Kitco) and Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL), despite them having a track record in conducting such studies and preparing detailed project report (DPR).
If Kitco, which constructed a control tower for the military airport in Oman, prepared the DPR for CIAL, it was CIAL which held feasibility study and prepared the DPR for Kannur airport in the first stage. The government has now paid around `4.6 crore to Louis Berger for the preliminary study in Sabarimala, while the same can be executed for just `50 lakh if the work is entrusted with Kitco, said experts.Jacob K Philip, aviation expert and former Kitco staffer engaged in preparing DPR of aviation projects, said the state can award the project to Kitco without going for an open tender.
But the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation Ltd (KSIDC), the nodal agency for coordinating the airport project, has not only invited an open tender, but listed higher pre-qualification criteria in the tender document for participation. For instance, stipulating minimum average turnover of the agency from consultancy work in the last three financial years should not be less than `50 crore in the case of Sabarimala airport, has made the firm ineligible to take part in the competitive bidding.

“I don’t think there would be any major corruption in selecting the process of consultancy. Kitco can execute the work at a nominal rate of `50 lakh. But if we hire a foreign agency for the purpose, their expense will naturally be higher,” said Jacob, adding it is bureaucratic inefficiency that forced them to depend heavily on the highly-paid consultancies.
Kannur airport is another example. Though the work was won by the multinational consultancy giant AECOM during the tenure of the previous UDF government, the government in the end had to rope in Kitco through backdoor to complete the work on time.Kitco was also what helped CIAL build and upgrade the airport at such a low cost.
The previous UDF government had awarded the feasibility study of Panamaram airstrip project in Wayanad to London-based Knight Frank consultancy. When retired chief secretary Tom Jose was the head of KSIDC, the project’s feasibility study was awarded to Knight Frank, despite Kitco’s plea.
29/07/20 Dhinesh Kallungal/New Indian Express

Kerala CM dismisses Oppn allegations on consultant for Sabarimala airport project

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has dismissed the Opposition allegations that the appointment of a US headquartered firm- Louis Berger- as the consultant for the proposed airport in Sabarimala was in violation of norms and said it was appointed for feasibility studies.
“The question of Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala on why a consultancy was appointed for the Sabarimala Greenfield airport before occupying the land for it is a good question. But that can be asked only by those who never want the airport to be a reality,” the Kerala CM said.
He was reacting to Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala’s allegation on the proposed airport project, while speaking to the media on Tuesday.
Pinarayi said the firm, Louis Berger, was appointed due to its high score among the shortlisted companies.
Opposition Congress Leader Ramesh Chennithala had earlier in the day alleged that the firm was appointed as consultant in 2017, even before the government finalised the site for the airport.
"Wasn't such an act a blatant disregard of norms? A consultancy raj exists in the state and the government was recklessly appointing consultancies even in minor projects," Chennithala said at a press meet in Thiruvananthapuram.
The CM said the land proposed was under the consideration of a civil court regarding its ownership.
"The state government's stand is that the land belongs to the government. We have filed a civil suit at the Pala sub court.
An amount was deposited as per the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation Act," he said.
The consultancy was appointed for the environment impact studies following a transparent procedure.
Three firms were shortlisted as per the technical qualifications and Louis Berger was selected due to its high score by a team of officials and experts, Pinarayi added.
The Chief Minister said the state government was "confident that the land belongs to the state and decided to conduct the feasibility studies."
The government had on June 18, issued an order to take over the 2,263.18-acre Cheruvally estate for the purpose of Sabarimala Airport and plans for the acquisition of land in Erumeli South and Manimala villages, he said.
29/07/20 New Minute

AAI to build Greenfield airport in Uttarakhand

Dehradun: Uttarakhand government has tied up with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) in the Udham Singh Nagar district for building a state-of-the-art Greenfield airport to boost domestic and international passengers in the hill state. According to the state government, the green field airport is going to be developed near the existing airport in Pant Nagar which has domestic operations from Delhi and Dehradun airport. The AAI has submitted a pre-feasibility report for the establishment of a green-field airport in Udham Singh Nagar to Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat. "The spadework for the proposed green field airport spread on 1100 acres land, has been completed and the work of acquiring land and other technical aspects would be completed in a phased manner in consultation with the AAI and the union aviation ministry," said a senior state government official.
Before submitting the pre feasibility report, senior AAI officials including Chairman Arvind Singh and Union civil aviation ministry secretary Pradeep Khairola and Uttarakhand chief secretary Utpal Kumar Singh had visited the site in Udham Singh Nagar. The state government has not set any deadline for the completion of the airport. The existing Pant Nagar airport in Udham Singh Nagar district has over 267 acres of land. The passenger terminal is spread over 530 square metres area and has handling capacity of 50 passengers in peak hours. The green field airport as the concept is suitable for the Himalayan state as it involves the structural planning on the environmental factors.
28/07/20 Yogesh Kumar/Millennium Post

22 flights with 2,130 passengers arrive in J&K

On day 65 of resumption of domestic operations in Jammu and Kashmir, 22 flights with 2,130 passengers on board Tuesday arrived at Jammu and Srinagar Airports.

A statement said 633 passengers aboard eight regular commercial flights arrived at Jammu airport while 14 domestic flights with 1,497 passengers on board landed at Srinagar airport today.
The statement said Jammu airport authorities have received 495 domestic flights with 37,036 passengers while Srinagar airport authorities have received 803 domestic flights with 1,03,387 passengers since May 25.

The statement said Jammu and Kashmir government has brought back about 3,476 passengers from various countries to the Union Territory through special evacuation flights in the wake of global pandemic.

After arrival, all the passengers were tested for the COVID-19 and transported to their destinations at both the airports amid strict observance of all necessary preventive protocols, the statement said.
29/07/20 Greater Kashmir

Glass shields at IGI for shorter queues

New Delhi: Days after media reports of long queues being recorded at Indira Gandhi International Airport with passengers having to wait for 10 to 12 hours to get through the immigration process, protective glass shields have been installed at the immigration counters, allowing faster processing of passengers while maintaining social distancing norms.
Sources said around 150 glass shields have been installed, including at the e-visa counters and in both the arrival and departure areas.
Confirming the developments, IGI operator Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said two people could now safely complete their immigration process at the same time, while also maintaining social distancing norms. DIAL CEO Videh Kumar Jaipuriar said efficiency levels are expected to improve with the protective shields now in place, allowing more passengers to be processed each hour.

“The safety of everyone working at Delhi airport is paramount to us. As a part of our preparedness for resumption of international commercial service, we have installed glass shields at immigration counters so that two persons can safely complete the process from each counter without compromising their safety,” Jaipuriar claimed.
29/07/20 Jasjeev Gandhiok/Times of India

Chennai airport may see increase in flights next month

Chennai: Nearly two months after the resumption of domestic operations, the airport may soon see a significant increase in the number of flights.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has written a letter to the State government, requesting an increase in the number of flights. If the proposal gets approved, there will be nearly 85 flight arrivals and 85 departures every day starting next month, sources said. Right now, the airport has only 60 flights a day with 30 arrivals and departures each.

The Tamil Nadu government placed a limit of 25 arrival flights just before the nod to resume domestic flight operations was given. As a result, there were only 25-30 departure flights, and passenger traffic was very poor.

“A request has been made for increasing the number of flights. Now, the idea is to operate nearly 45% of the total capacity of the airport,” a source said. Before COVID-19, the airport used to witness nearly 450-500 aircraft movements every day.
29/07/20 Sunitha Sekar/The Hindu

How Amritsar Airport Helped Thousands Stranded, Return Home Safely

In late March 2020, Government of India announced lockdown of whole country, leaving thousands of foreign nationals stranded across the country. Many countries started repatriation flights for their citizens, including US, Netherlands, Malaysia, etc from the country.

Punjab has one of the biggest diasporas settled in UK, Canada, Australia and other countries. Majority of them visit Punjab during winter and spring months. Before lockdown, Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport Amritsar was directly connected to 9 major international destinations including London and Birmingham. Majority of the passengers from Australia travelled via Kuala Lumpur on Air Asia, Malindo Air or Singapore on Scoot airlines. Qatar airways also provided convenient connectivity to North America and European destinations.

With lockdown imposed on very short notice, thousands of foreign residents got stuck in Punjab. Even a complete lockdown kept the holy city airport and its staff busy for the operation of special repatriation flights by many countries. The first repatriation flight took off from the airport for Malaysia by Malindo airlines to Kuala Lumpur. Malindo Air repatriated about 180 Malaysian residents from Amritsar. Soon after, many more countries started special flights from Amritsar.

There was an estimate that around 15,000 UK citizens were stuck in Punjab. The UK government started with 3 flights from Amritsar from 2nd week of April from Amritsar. Due to high demand, they continued to add more flights. A total of 28 flights operated by British and Qatar Airways from April till May 15, 2020 flew around 8,271 people back to their home.

British Airways was the first UK airline to land in Amritsar and also the first airline to operate a direct flight between London Heathrow and Amritsar in 10 years. Air India suspended its direct Amritsar-London-Toronto flight in October 2010.

While these UK flights were operating, there was also a big demand by the stranded Canadian residents for direct repatriation flights from Amritsar to Canada. Initially, Air India operated special flights for Canadians via Delhi to London with onward connectivity on Air Canada to Toronto and Vancouver.
29/07/20 Ravreet Singh/SinghStation.net

Bengal ‘wants’ 6-city flight ban to stay

The state government is likely to seek continuation of the ban on flights from six cities of high Covid prevalence, including Delhi and Mumbai, to Calcutta beyond July 31, officials said on Tuesday.

The government will also request the civil aviation ministry not to operate flights to and from Calcutta on the days of complete lockdown twice a week, the officials said.

“The ban on flights from the six cities in all likelihood will continue because the Covid situation there has not improved. In Bengal, too, the count of fresh cases is not reducing. We will ask the central government for continuation of the ban,” an official of the Bengal government said.

Flights to Calcutta from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune, Ahmedabad and Nagpur were suspended on July 6, following a request from the Bengal government, because of a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases there. The ban was till July 19 but was later extended till July 31.

Officials of several airlines said they were not aware of any extension of the ban and have scheduled flights between Calcutta and the six cities post-July 31.
29/07/20 Telegraph

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Mumbai Airport handled 70K tonnes cargo in first quarter

GVK MIAL led Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai has announced that it had handled 70000 tonnes of freight in the first quarter of the financial year 2020-21 ended on June 30, 2020. The Mumbai International Airport also claimed to have handled the highest volume of Indian and international cargo than other Indian airports.

On July 24, 2020, AirBridgeCargo operated its first-ever Indian commercial flight, B-747 freighter, into Mumbai to lift 80 tonnes of pharmaceutical cargo destined for O'Hare International Airport in Chicago via its hub in Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO), Moscow.

On June 11, 2020, National Airlines operated its B747-400 freighter from Mumbai to Chicago carrying 100 tonnes of essential medicines on behalf of JUSDA India.

On June 12, 14, 16, 27 & 28, Philippine Airlines carried 35 tonnes of charted medical cargo including that of World Health Organization (WHO) and 15 tonnes of general cargo from Mumbai to Manila in 5 repatriation flights that brought Indians back home from the Philippines.
28/07/20 ITLN

Indian Airports Authority reportedly out of a joint venture to develop Mattala : Report

Colombo: The Indian Airports Authority is reported to have been frozen out of a joint venture with the Sri Lankan government to develop the new Mattala airport.

The Center for Aviation said this move is surprising, because politically it is in India’s interests to assist with developments like these and, at the same time, keep China out.

A report on the CAPA website notes, many governments, national, regional or local, have good intentions when it comes to the construction of airports adding theoretically, they will improve the economic prospects of a region.

But all too often they turn out to be white elephants unable to attract commercial airlines adding Spain has some good examples.

The report goes on to say the Mattala International Airport (MRIA) in Sri Lanka has been described as “at best a white elephant with a very small catchment area”.

The project was launched by the government with a loan worth 210 Million Dollars from China Exim Bank.

Subsequently, the previous government from 2015 to 2019 used the airport to store paddy.
27/07/20 Zulfick Farzan/News 1st

Money laundering case against GVK Group: ED searches premises of promoters in Mumbai, Hyderabad

 Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted searches at the offices of GVK Group and the residences of its promoters in Mumbai and Hyderabad, in connection with a money laundering case for alleged irregularities in the development of Mumbai international airport.

On July 7, the ED had registered a complaint under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against the GVK Group and it’s chairman GVK Reddy, his son GV Sanjay Reddy and a few others, based on an FIR filed by CBI against them on June 27.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged irregularities of over Rs 705 crore in the development of Mumbai international airport.
The CBI in its FIR said the promoters of GVK Group in Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) have “siphoned” funds by executing bogus work contracts, under-reporting its revenues, inflating its expenses and misusing the reserves.

According to the FIR, MIAL allegedly entered into fake work contracts pertaining to real estate development to the tune of Rs 310 crore with nine firms in 2017-18 which were never executed. These firms, the CBI has alleged, also claimed fake input tax credit from the government.

Apart from this, the agency said since 2012, the promoters of GVK Group have used Rs 395 crore of the surplus of MIAL to fund other firms of the group. The CBI said the GVK Group in MIAL has “embezzled” at least Rs 100 crore by inflating the expenses of MIAL. The agency has also alleged that the GVK Group has “assigned premium retail area of Mumbai airport” to companies run by family members, relatives and employees at “exorbitantly low rates” reducing the revenue of MIAL. The firms which got the retail space at low rates include Rockline Solutions Pvt Ltd and International Airport Hotels and Resorts Pvt Ltd.
28/07/20  Indian Express

Monday, July 27, 2020

Flyers flock to first direct Delhi flights in 3 weeks

Kolkata: Flight operations resumed on Sunday after a day’s suspension with airlines adjusting to start-stop operations following the twice-a-week lockdown in Bengal. The passenger count was around 10% higher than in recent days with several of those, whose flights had been suddenly cancelled at a few hours’ notice on Friday, undertaking their journey on Sunday.
Though 60 flights departed on Sunday, the spotlight was on two flights to Delhi, one operated by Vistara and the other by GoAir. For years, Kolkata has had the best connectivity with Delhi but the link was severed on July 6 when the state government had banned flights from six cities, including the national capital, citing high Covid cases there. Though there is no embargo on flights from Kolkata to these cities, no airline has operated one way flights, pointing out logistical challenges.

Despite the two flights being introduced late in the week, both operated with good loads. “If more flights operate on the Kolkata-Delhi and Kolkata-Mumbai sectors, they will get decent loads as there is good demand on both sectors for not just passengers intending to travel to these cities but even those booked on Vande Bharat flights to the US, the UK or the Gulf. Till now, passengers, who must travel to these cities, have been flying via another city,” said a travel agent.
27/07/20 Times of India

Covid-19 a Perfect Opportunity for Indian Airports to Stop Aping Western Models and Turn Atmanirbhar

As the coronavirus pandemic wreaks havoc across the globe, aviation has emerged as one of the most impacted sectors. A fear of travelling and a narrative that airports and airlines pose contagion risk has set in. While significant sanitisation measures have been implemented, passengers continue to be apprehensive. Partly because the spread of the virus has been traced back to air travel and partly because if each unplanned interaction can is classified as a random risk, the overall travel experience aggregates to significant randomised risk. Demand has fallen off a cliff and is not likely to recover to pre-Covid19 levels anytime soon. The government’s initiatives on self-sufficiency are commendable indeed. Yet, when it comes to infrastructure design and regulatory models, one is yet to see any changes. Case in point: airports- writes Satyendra Pandey >>

Pre-feasibility report on greenfield airport in Udham Singh Nagar submitted to Uttarakhand CM

Civil Aviation Ministry Secretary Pradeep Khairola and Airports Authority of India (AAI) Chairman Arvind Singh submitted a pre-feasibility report for the establishment of a greenfield airport in Udham Singh Nagar to Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Saturday.
Kharola and Singh along with Chief Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh and other officials inspected the site before submitting a pre-feasibility report to the Chief Minister.
As per an official release of the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), a total of 1,100 acres land has been earmarked for setting up of greenfield airport by the Udham Singh Nagar district administration.

"The Pantnagar Airport in Udham Singh Nagar district currently has about 267 acres of land. There is a 530 sqm passenger terminal. The handling capacity is 50 passengers in peak hours. After the establishment of the greenfield airport, the capacity will increase considerably here. It can also be further developed into an international airport," the release added.
26/07/20 ANI/Catch News

Vijyapura airport, tender process begins, Yeddiyurappa to lay foundation stone soon

Vijyapura: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Govinda Karjula said on Sunday that the tender process for a new airport has begun at Vijyapura and Chief Minister BS Yeddiyurappa will lay the foundation stone shortly.
Speaking to newsmen after inspecting the airport site he said the Vijyapura district known for its glorious tourist spots and special attraction with education institutions and horticulture.
The airport is necessary and it was a long pending demand of these parts of the people he said.
26/07/20 UNI

Ten flights with 2040 passengers to arrive on Monday

Kochi: Ten international relief flights with 2040 passengers will be arriving at Cochin International Airport on Monday.
Air India will operate stopover flights from London and San Francisco, a CIAL spokesman said
on Sunday.
The flights scheduled to arrive are; Emirates from Dubai at 0300, 0900, Air India from Londonvia Mumbai at 0605, Air India Express from Sharjah at 1605, Go Air from Dammam at 1730 and Fly Dubai from Dubai at 1810.
26/07/20 UNI

Passengers of Air France flights to Bengaluru to undergo COVID-19 test

Passengers of Air France flights to Bengaluru under "air bubble" arrangement agreed between the two countries need to undergo Rapid Antigen Test for COVID-19 and only those who are negative would be allowed to board, the Embassy of India in France said here on Monday. "Passengers of Air France flights to Bengaluru under "air bubble" arrangement agreed between the two countries need to undergo Rapid Antigen Test for COVID-19 and only those who are negative would be allowed to board," the Embassy said in a statement.

India has started creating "air bubbles" with some countries to ensure eligible people can continue to travel directly to and from there on airlines of both sides, till resumption of regular scheduled flights in a post-pandemic world. "Till international civil aviation can reclaim its pre-COVID numbers, I think the answer lies in bilateral air bubbles, which will carry a possible number of people but under defined conditions as countries are still imposing entry restrictions including India," Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said last week.
27/07/20 ANI/Devdiscourse

Sunday, July 26, 2020

Union Civil Aviation Ministry sets the stage for 1100 acres Greenfield Airport at Uttarakhand's Pantnagar

Union Civli Aviation Ministry on Saturday (June 25) cleared the deck for Greenfield Airport at Uttrakhand's Pantnagar by submitting pre-feasibility report for airport.
The pre-feasibility report was submitted by Aviation Secretary Pradeep Kharola and Airport Authority of India chairman Arvind Singh to Uttrakhand Chief Minister  Trivendra Singh Rawat. It is learnt that Kharola and Singh submitted the report giving a 'yes' to 1100 acre land for Greenfield airport at Pantnagar after inspecting the land earmarked for the project.
The Union Civil Aviation Ministry in its report has suggested the proposed 1100 acre of land in Pantnagar for Greenfield airport a 'Suitable Land'. The Ministry said in its report that the airport will give boost to air connectivity, tourism, economy, disaster management and strategic interests.
The Ministry has also proposed that the Greenfield airport at Pantnagar would be upgraded to international airport in future.
Stressing on the importance of the new airport, CM Rawat asserted that it is important to strengthen the air infrastructure in the state from tourism, disaster and strategic point of view. CM Rawat added that significant amount of work has been done in the field of civil aviation in the state in the last three years.
26/07/20 Sameer Dixit/ZeeNews

Alliance Air's Mumbai-Bhavnagar flights to resume from this date

Air India's subsidiary Alliance Air on Saturday said that it will resume flight operations on the Mumbai-Bhavnagar route via Diu from July 30.
"The flight will operate on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The airline will deploy 70-seater ATR 72 aircraft on the route," the airline said in a statement.
According to the airline, all-inclusive one-way fares on Mumbai-Bhavnagar flights start at Rs 3,054 and for Diu-Bhavnagar travel at Rs 2,321.
"The airline is adhering to all government guidelines and is following all standard operating procedures issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Required precautionary measures are being taken within the aircraft as well at the time of check-ins, boarding and arrivals at the destinations," the statement said.
26/07/20 ZeeBiz

Aviation secy reviews processing time of passengers arriving by intl flights at Delhi airport

New Delhi: Aviation Secretary P S Kharola on Saturday visited the Delhi airport to review the processing time being taken for passengers arriving by international charter flights.
Kharola conversed with Delhi State Nodal Officer and the CEO of the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) "for taking steps to reduce the processing time", the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said on Twitter.

While the government-run AAI owns the Delhi airport, it is operated and managed by GMR group-led DIAL, which is a private entity.

Scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in India.

However, special international charter flights have been operating under the Vande Bharat Mission since May 6 to help stranded people reach their destinations amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Various international charter flights, by the foreign airlines as well as the Indian airlines, have been operating outside this mission too.

Passengers coming through any international charter flight at the Delhi airport have to compulsorily go for institutional quarantine for seven days and then for home quarantine for another seven days.
25/07/20 PTI/Outlook

Chennai airport to use UV lamps to purify air

Chennai: In a bid to make airport terminals safer for passengers, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is gearing up to install ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) lamps in the air conditioning units at Chennai airport.

The lamps that will be installed inside the air-handling units for the terminals and buildings will ensure the air circulated is free of bacteria and microorganisms.
The UV lamps will tamper with the DNA of microorganisms and kill them and also prevent its growth in air-handling units. Such a system is often used in centralised air conditioning units of large buildings including hospitals but assumes more significance because of the risk of Covid-19 spread in air conditioned environments, said an airport official.

A tender has been floated to procure and install UVGI as it is likely to reduce the risk of spread of infection.

AAI has already started to minimize use of air conditioning in its office buildings but the steel and glass terminal buildings have been built in such a way that air conditioning cannot be avoided. The measure is expected to help passengers and staff. Passengers spend at least two hours while staff spend around eight to 10 hours working and more than 5,000 passengers use the domestic terminal alone daily.

Different airports are following their own techniques to minimize Covid-19 risk. Bengaluru airport had increased the AC temperature.
26/07/20 V Ayyappan/Times of India

Over 1 lakh persons arrive at Srinagar airport since May

Budgam: The administration has facilitated return of more than one lakh stranded passengers from different parts of the country to Kashmir through air travel, amid the ongoing COVID19 pandemic.

A statement said many initiatives were taken including formulating a comprehensive and fool proof plan for establishing requisite number of quarantine, wellness and sample collection centers. Among other challenges, the statement said, was the arrival of stranded passengers of J&K within and outside India.
“Since the resumption of flights, the administration has facilitated arrival of 1,00,931 passengers from May 25 till today, at Srinagar airport from within and outside India, under strict protocols devised by the administration,” said the statement.

It said the administration put elaborate arrangements for COVID mitigation which included on spot e-registration of passengers at arrival, ICMR devised application-based data entry at testing channel and transportation of passengers to designated quarantine centers at district level.

“Of 40,304 samples collected, 351 tested positive till July 22. The Srinagar airport received 753 domestic and 15 international flights from May 25 up to July 24, which included evacuation under Vande Bharat Mission for stranded passengers in various countries,” said the statement.
It said the testing at the airport was mandatory for passengers coming from outside the J&K with administrative quarantine till the test reports were negative.

Of 40,304 sampled passengers, 34,199 persons have undergone administrative quarantine while 5,927 and 144 persons were placed in home and protective quarantine respectively, as per SOPs by the divisional administration, said the statement.
26/07/20 Greater Kashmir

Jammu, Srinagar Airports receive 24 domestic flights with 2,704 passengers

Jammu: On Day 62 of resumption of routine domestic operations in Jammu and Kashmir, 24 domestic flights with 2,704 passengers on board today arrived at Jammu and Srinagar Airports. Besides, an International evacuation flight with 145 passengers on board has arrived at Srinagar Airport under Vande Bharat Mission.
A total of 834 passengers aboard 9 regular commercial flights arrived at the Jammu Airport while 15 domestic flights with about 1870 passengers on board landed at Srinagar Airport today.
Pertinently, Jammu Airport Authorities have received a total of 469 domestic flights with 34,782 passengers while Srinagar Airport Authorities have received 762 domestic flights with 98,596 passengers since 25th of May till date.
Also, the Jammu and Kashmir government has brought back about 3,476 passengers from various countries to the Union Territory through special evacuation flights in the wake of global pandemic till date.
After arrival, all the passengers were tested for the COVID-19 and transported to their destinations at both the airports amid strict observance of all necessary preventive protocols.
26/07/20 India EducationDiary.com

Airport earnings dip to nearly 10% of average before pandemic

Nagpur: Covid has brought down the income of Nagpur airport to nearly 10% of the daily average it clocked before the pandemic struck.
Sources in Mihan India Limited (MIL), the state government agency which is managing the operations, said these days the arrivals and departures clubbed are at 900 persons in a day. In the normal times it used to be around 3,000 on an average.
As against 36 flights earlier, it has come down to eight flights connecting to only three stations, said the sources.

Currently, Nagpur has air connectivity to Delhi, Mumbai and Pune. Earlier, there were flights to Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad also apart from two international flights to Doha in Qatar and Sharjah in UAE, said the source.

”Even as the exact calculations need to be made, the earnings have easily dipped to 9% to 10% of the earlier levels,” said a senior official in MIL.

Domestic flights had resumed at the Nagpur airport from May 25. There were flights connecting to Ahmedabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Goa too, which have been eventually withdrawn due to lack of enough load.

26/07/20 Shishir Arya/Times of India

Pune airport's new terminal work delayed

Pune: The Covid-19 situation has thrown a spanner in the construction work of the Pune airport's new terminal building.
Officials said owing to the prevalent situation, there would now be no deadline for completion of the project, which was supposed to be ready by the first half of next year. Airport officials said they were now looking at the latter half of 2021 for the building to be ready if the Covid situation improves.
"It's too premature to comment on the delay," Pankaj Vatsa, executive director, Egis India, the project consultant, told TOI. He, however, confirmed that the work on the Rs400-crore project has resumed and is progressing well.
26/07/20 Joy Sengupta/Times of India

Expansion of Thoothukudi airport runway begins

Tirunelveli: The Thoothukudi airport is all set for runway widening and extension to handle wide-bodied aircraft.
‘Bhoomi puja’ for widening the runway with Blast pad, RESA (runway end safety area), Taxiway, Apron, GSE area, Isolation bay and miscellaneous works was performed on Saturday and N. Subramanian, Airport Director, was present.
The ritual marked the commencement of excavation for widening of existing runway from 30 meter to 45 meter by constructing 7.50 m wide pavement on either side of runway edge to handle Code-4C type aircraft like Airbus 321 carrying 220 passengers with the wingspan of 34 meter and length of 45 meter. Presently, the fifth busiest airport of Tamil Nadu, it handles only ATR 72, Q 400 and Dornier AN32 type of aircraft.
For expansion of the runway, 600.97 acres of land, free from encumbrance, was acquired by the State government and handed over to the Airports Authority of India on December 31, 2018. The expansion work for ₹96.77 crore was awarded to a Mumbai-based company on August 22, 2019.
25/07/20 P Sudhakar/The Hindu

Eight flights with 1680 passengers to arrive on Sunday

Kochi: Eight flights with 1680 passengers will be arriving at Cochin International Airport, here on Sunday.
 A chartered Ethiopian Airlines flight from Johannesburg through Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and another flight of Silk Air from Singapore will also be reaching the airport on Sunday, a CIAL spokesman said on Saturday.
 The international flights are; Silk Air from Singapore at 0005, Emirates from Dubai at 0300, 0900, Ethiopian Airlines from Johannesburg via Addis Ababa at 0735, Air India Express from Dubai at 1755, Air India Express from Dubai at 1755, Air India Express from Abu Dhabi at 2145, Air Arabia from Sharjah at 2230 and Indigo from Doha at 2315.
 25/07/20 UNI

Saturday, July 25, 2020

Unwelcome airport in a tiger corridor in Maharashtra

Wheels within wheels and shadowy politics. That is what one comes across in the villages of Vihirgaon, Murti, Morwa and Kanhargaon in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region. And at the centre of it all is a proposed greenfield airport at Vihirgaon and Murti in Chandrapur district, which will result in the loss of a virgin reserve forest and a vital tiger corridor and pose a danger to a sanctuary that has been proposed in the neighbourhood.

The proposal to build an airport in Chandrapur goes back to 2014. It was only in 2018 that the State government gave the nod for the project in the two villages, which are about 40 kilometres away from Chandrapur city. At the time, the General Administration Department issued a notification appointing the Maharashtra Airport Development Corporation (MADC) the nodal agency for the project. The government had approved 134 hectares of land it owned to be handed over to the MADC and sanctioned Rs.46 crore to acquire 187 ha of private land. The plan was to first develop an airport capable of handling Q-400 planes (basically, turboprops for shorter flights), then expand it so that it could handle A-320s and, ultimately, make it an international airport.

Murti and Vihirgaon are in Rajura taluk, which is known for its dense forest with a healthy population of wildlife such as leopards, tigers and sloth bears. In fact, the region has the highest density of tigers in India. The 2015 census of tigers found that 120 of Maharashtra’s 170 tigers were in Chandrapur district. Good conservation measures resulted in an increase in their numbers in 2018 to 312, the majority of them in Chandrapur. The famed Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve buffer zone is just 38 km away, the Chaprala Wildlife Sanctuary is 32 km away and the proposed Kanhargaon Wildlife Sanctuary is next to the airport site. In fact, Vihirgaon and Murti are both part of the tiger corridor according to a report of the Wildlife Institute of India. Because of the interconnectedness of ecosystems, the Kawal and Indravati Tiger Reserves in Telangana and Chhattisgarh respectively will also feel the impact of an airport in Chandrapur.
25/07/20 Lyla Bavadam/Frontline

Lockdown hits terminal building extension work

Patna: Work on extension of the terminal building at Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport here may get delayed due to non-availability of construction materials and difficulties in transportation of other equipment amid Covid-induced lockdown in the state.
K S Vijayan, general manager (engineering), projects, Airport Authority of India (AAI)-Patna said lack of workers and delay in delivery of construction materials for superstructure of the extended area on the eastern side of the terminal building might delay the project.
“Around 50% of glasses, to be used in the extended area, are expected to arrive from Delhi soon. The internal furnishing work is expected to be completed by mid-August and the the new area would become functional by the end of August instead of July-end deadline,” Vijayan added.

The additional area of 2,000sq metre will increase the passenger handling capacity of the terminal building by 2.5 lakh per annum.

Airport director Bhupesh CH Negi said the extension and modification works are in full swing despite rain and other challenges. “AAI-Patna team is working in close coordination with all stakeholders to minimise inconvenience to the passengers and visitors during the ongoing work for new terminal building,” he said.

AAI-Patna officials thanked the Patna district administration and police for extending support in maintaining smooth flow of vehicular and passenger movement inside and outside the airport premises during construction work.

Meanwhile, Negi said after addition of the new area, number of check-in counters would increase to 20 from the existing 16 while one registered baggage X-ray machine and two hand baggage X-ray machines will also be installed. “The number of frisking booths will also increase,” Negi said, adding more facilities for passengers would eventually reduce the waiting time in queues and enable hassle-free passenger processing at various points.

The modified area will have shopping facilities, retail segment, additional frisking booths and lounge facility. The much-awaited modification of the existing terminal building is expected to ease space constraints till the airport gets the new terminal building by 2023.
25/07/20 Faryal Rumi/Times of India

No flight in and out of West Bengal in total lockdown

Kolkata: No passenger aircraft will fly into or out of Kolkata airport on any lockdown day announced by the Bengal government. Operations at Bagdogra airport, too, will remain suspended on these days.

The decision — communicated by the civil aviation ministry to the Airports Authority of India — came on Saturday, hours after TOI reported on Friday that Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee had indicated her “unhappiness” over flight operations to and from the city on lockdown days. The TOI report also mentioned that the state government was likely to urge the civil aviation ministry to restrict flights on Saturday (July 25) and Wednesday (July 29), the two already-scheduled total lockdown days.

Bengal is having two total lockdown days every week; the state government has said it will announce the two lockdown days on the first working day of the week (Monday).

“All passenger flights scheduled on Saturday and Wednesday, the two lockdown days already declared by the state government, have been cancelled. There will be no passenger flight on subsequent lockdown days either,” airport director Kaushik Bhattacharjee said. Around 50 flights were scheduled to take off from Kolkata on Saturday and around 42 flights next Wednesday.

“There was no provision for flight operations in the old lockdown regime,” a senior Bengal bureaucrat said. “So why should an exception be made now? Lockdowns serve no purpose if flight operations are allowed like on normal days,” he said.

An airport official, however, said that all passenger flight operations in the country were suspended before Lockdown 1.0 but states like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Tripura and Manipur had reimposed lockdowns with restricted flight movements but never stopped flights altogether.
25/07/20 Tamaghna Banerjee/Times of India

Rush to reach Kolkata airport before lockdown

Most flights flew in and out and public transport was available outside the airport terminal on Thursday.

Airport officials said hundreds of passengers who were booked on Thursday’s flights had arrived at the airport on Wednesday night fearing they might not get transport once the 16-hour lockdown kicked in at 6am. The passengers stayed the night in the departure lounge.

Buses and yellow taxis were parked outside the terminal for arriving passengers.

In the city, police allowed cars to move if they were convinced they were headed for the airport. There was apprehension about availability of public transport because the state government had not included flights on the list of exempted services.
Tumpa Dalui, in her early 20s, arrived from Bangalore with her aunt Sunita Sardar. Tumpa, a resident of the Sunderbans, was staying with her father, who works in Bangalore, over the past few months.

“We had arranged for a vehicle to pick us up from the airport,” said Tumpa, who arrived on an IndiGo flight in the morning. The vehicle was stopped on its way to the airport by the police at Ghatakpukur, in South 24-Parganas.

On being alerted by the driver, Tumpa clicked a picture of her boarding pass and WhatsApped it to him. The driver was allowed to proceed after he showed the cops the image of the boarding pass.

Airport officials said 42 flights had taken off and as many landed during the day. Air India cancelled two flights and IndiGo one.
25/07/20 Telegraph

Covid steps add to woes of flyers at IGI

New Delhi: Naina (name changed), a diabetic, went without food for 12 hours at Indira Gandhi International Airport due to a prolonged immigration procedure. Like the 32-year-old, thousands of passengers have been facing similar issues and going hungry for as long as 13 hours daily.
Though flight operations resumed two months ago, the situation remains tough for passengers as officials have been taking more time at each step. While some flyers complained of no assistance, others said they were not briefed about non-availability of food at the airport. “There was a woman with a baby. She kept asking the staff to get food for her child, but in vain,” said Vishwas, a passenger who had arrived from Nigeria.
Rashi Mehta, an Air India passenger, tweeted about her horrific experience. “Worst experience and poor management by IGI Airport for flight Air india AI162 from London to Delhi. The flight landed at 9.45pm on 22 July and passengers are stranded from past 12 hours for immigration and quarantine check (sic),” read the tweet.
An airport source, however, blamed staff crunch for the situation. “Earlier, there were two people at each immigration counter. The scrutiny of each passengers, including immigration, APHO and check by Delhi government, requires time. In case a passenger shows Covid symptoms, more coordination is required,” he added.
25/07/20 Times of India

Friday, July 24, 2020

Passengers stranded in KIA due to new test rule

Passengers of a special flight bound to Abu Dhabi from Bengaluru were left stranded at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in the wee hours of Thursday.
Passengers of Etihad Airways to Abu Dhabi that was scheduled to depart Bengaluru at 2.40 am could not board their flight due to late changes in the guidelines for the Covid-19 PCR testing.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based airline has been operating a limited number of flights from
Bengaluru to Abu Dhabi for eligible individuals from India to travel to Abu Dhabi.
Eligible passengers are UAE nationals and residents as well as people with relevant UAE entry approvals from India.
Passengers who had earlier travelled to Abu Dhabi from Bengaluru or any other Indian city on an Etihad flight could get their Covid-19 tests done at any approved ICMR lab and board their flight.
However, from July 22, the UAE placed an additional restriction on the directive to require testing be done by a laboratory named Purehealth.
As this was made mandatory, passengers who had booked tickets for travel on EY217 in the early hours of Thursday, missed their flight and the aircraft reportedly flew back to Abu Dhabi empty.
Etihad Airways confirmed the incident.
“As per UAE Government and Health Authority requirements, all passengers travelling from India to the UAE, or onward to any destination, must present a negative Covid-19 PCR test result from an approved testing facility. This was a UAE government directive that came into effect on July 20, and communicated by Etihad directly to all affected guests.
24/07/20 Hemanth CS/Bangalore Mirror

Bengaluru airport handles 24K ornamental fish from Thailand

Bengaluru: The Kempegowda International Airport in the Karnataka capital recently received a consignment of 24,200 ornamental fish from Thailand for an importer in Kerala, an official said on Thursday.

"Bengaluru airport processed a consignment of 24,200 ornamental fish recently. The consignment arrived at Bengaluru airport from Thailand," said an airport official.

Later, the fish were transported to Kerala's Kozhikode, after approvals from the Customs Department and the animal quarantine services in Bengaluru.

"The varieties included Betta Splendens (Fighting Fish) and Flower Horn Fish," said the official.
Adorned with natural colours of blue, white, black, yellow and red, the fishes had wing-like protrusions shooting out of their bodies on all sides.

The fishes been individually packed in a plastic bag each and then in thermocol boxes for the flight and onward transportation to Kerala.

However, the official did not reveal if any of the fish died during the flight. Though the official could not confirm if this was the largest fish consignment handled ever, she confirmed that the airport doesn't usually handle ornamental fish.
24/07/20 IANS/daijiworld

AC temperature set two degrees higher than usual at Bengaluru airport

Bengaluru: In a bid to keep the coronavirus at bay, the temperature of air conditioning units at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport has been set higher by 2 degrees than usual.

The decision was taken to comply with COVID-19 guidelines issued by India Society of Heating, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Engineers (ISHRAE) for the operation and maintenance of air-conditioned spaces, approved by CPWD, the airport officials said.
“The air-conditioning temperature setpoint has been increased to 25°C to comply with recommendations of temperature range between 24–30°C. With this change in temperature setpoint, the temperature in all air-conditioned premises at BLR Airport will be maintained at 25 ±1°C. In the pre-COVID-19 period, the temperature at the terminal was maintained at 23 ±1°C,” a Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) spokesperson told indianexpress.com.
The officials added that fresh air intake to centrally air-conditioned premises have been enhanced well above the recommended levels.

“Periodic disinfection of air conditioning equipment filters and coils are also being carried out,” they added.
24/07/20 Indian Express

Goa airport starts immunity boosting tea service for frontline workers

Panaji: In an initiative to boost the immunity of officials working at Dabolim airport in Goa, a medicated tea service has been started by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) in association with the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
"As an effort to boost the immunity and moral of our corona warriors working at Goa airport, in one of its kind initiative, a 'medicated tea/kaadha' service started today jointly with CISF on the notion of 'no profit no loss'. @AAI_Official @MoCA_GoI @aairedwr @shripadynaik," a tweet from the Dabolim International Airport's official handle said on Thursday.
23/07/20 IANS/India TV 

Amid lull, airlines cut staff at Chennai airport

Chennai: Airlines, ground handling companies and retail companies have started to either cut staff or put many of their employees on leave without pay at Chennai airport as the number of flights a day is still low because of concerns over the spread of Covid-19.

Sources said that more than 500people have lost jobs across departments in airlines and other agencies in the last month because of the restrictions in flight schedules imposed by the state government. Around 200 people across all departments were laid off by one airline alone.

SpiceJet with the second largest schedule from Chennai has kept many of its employees on compulsory wait without pay till the situation improves.

IndiGo, which is the biggest airline, has sent out notices to its ground staff and cabin crew saying that it is going to start a layoff programme to cut 10% of the workforce as it is operating only a small percentage of its full fleet of 250 planes.

In a letter to employees, IndiGo has said that "We are therefore, for the first time in our history, taking the very painful step of initiating a layoff programme." The airline is, however, offering its employees career transition support and also has promised to reach out to them when the situation improves.

Many of its staff at Chennai airport have been cut as the airline does not need the existing staff strength to operate 10 to 12 flights daily.

As the state government has not allowed the schedules to be increased, the airlines are finding it difficult to maintain the staff. There are only 25 to 30 departures at the airport on most days. Already, many have placed their ground staff on leave without pay and pilots are being paid only if they have flying duty. More than 300 people lost their jobs early this month at the airport across all firms.
24/07/20 Times of India

Vande Bharat Mission Phase 4: 1197 Flights Scheduled This Month in 29 Countries, 34 Airports in India, Says MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said that at least 1197 flights had been scheduled in Phase 4 of India’s Vande Bharat Mission to repatriate stranded Indians from abroad. Flights are being operated across 29 countries by Air India, Air India Express IndiGo, SpiceJet, as well as GoAir.
“In phase 4 of Vande Bharat Mission, 1197 flights have been scheduled so far, including 945 international flights & 252 feeder flights. These flights are operated by Air India group, IndiGo, SpiceJet & GoAir. They covered 29 countries. They’ll be reaching 34 airports in India,”  MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in a press briefing.
The central government has, however, not announced the dates or the schedule for Vande Bharat Mission phase 5 yet.
Notably, Air India reduced the airfares for high-demand flights to the US almost by half, in anticipations that more airlines are ready to join the international airspace in the coming days, facing steep competition with United Airlines.
23/07/20 India.com

Waves engulf road to domestic terminal of Thiruvananthapuram international airport

Thiruvananthapuram: Strong waves have engulfed a major portion of the Shanghumughom beach and the two-lane road leading to T-1, domestic terminal of the Thiruvananthapuram international airport.

Under the onslaught of the high waves on Wednesday night and early on Thursday, more sections of the road running parallel to the Shanghumughom beach caved in, cutting off the connectivity to the domestic terminal.

Traffic restrictions were in place through the road in front of Kerala State Industrial Enterprises (KSIE)’s Air Cargo complex to the domestic terminal and the Valiathura side. Traffic was limited to single lane following the caving in of the road. The road is part of the Thiruvananthapuram City Road Improvement Project (TCRIP).

Safety cones and barricades were put up to warn motorists and the beach is out of bounds for visitors. As movement of vehicles through the other lane had turned impossible, the authorities closed the road for traffic on Thursday.
The personnel of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and airlines are forced to take the narrow lane through the side of the cargo complex that leads to the old Valiathura police station near the domestic terminal. But, the narrow lane can only accommodate one-lane traffic.

Oil tankers bringing aviation turbine fuel (ATF) from Kochi for aircraft will also find it difficult to move to the airport. As there has been no uplift of food for flyers from the flight kitchens in the city, the airlines and the AAI do not have to bother about the movement of these heavy vehicles.
23/07/20 The Hindu

Kerala gold smuggling case: NIA sleuths question Sivasankar

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday questioned M. Sivasankar, former Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, in connection with its probe into the smuggling of gold into the country via air cargo shipments addressed to the consulate of the United Arab Emirates here.
The optics of Mr. Sivasankar’s arrival at the Police Club, the temporary seat of the NIA team, seemed to create the perception that the agency’s high-profile probe had come awkwardly close to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
When pressed at his daily COVID-19 news briefing, Mr. Vijayan made light of the development. “The NIA is on the right track. Why should we dwell upon the probe? Let the agency strike its own course,” he said.

Mr. Sivasankar, who was escorted into the building by NIA officials at 4.30 p.m., remained cooped up indoors with investigators till 9 p.m.
A State police official privy to the NIA’s procedure said the process of recording Mr. Sivasankar's statement was protracted. He said the long hours spend with the investigators were no indication of guilt. The NIA had a lot of ground to cover. The Customs had also questioned Mr. Sivasankar for several hours last week.

Mr. Sivasankar's alleged association with Swapna Suresh, second accused in the case, had cast him into the vortex of two parallel probes, one by the Customs and the other by the NIA.

It had also cost him his twin positions as Principal Secretary to Mr. Vijayan and chief of the IT Department.
23/07/20 G Anand/The Hindu

Thursday, July 23, 2020

Air India's regional subsidiary Alliance Air announces more services to tier-II cities

Loss-making Air India's regional subsidiary Alliance Air on Wednesday announced expansion of its services to enhance connectivity to more tier-II cities from metros, starting Friday. The airline is expanding operations at a time when major domestic carriers are struggling to operate even half of their allowed capacity amid demand slump due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Continuing its efforts to bolster regional connectivity, the airline is giving multiple flight options to enhance connectivity between metros and tier-II cities, starting July 24, Alliance Air said in a release. With this, passengers will have connectivity options to Jharsuguda from Kolkata, Bhubaneswar and Raipur with a daily flight, the airline said.
Nashik will get connectivity from Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Pune with a seven-day-a-week service while Mysuru gets enhanced connectivity from Cochin and Hyderabad with a daily flight service, it said. The aircraft in all the via/connected flights will remain the same and the passenger does not need to change the aircraft, the airline said in the release.
22/07/20 PTI/Economic Times

Delhi airport issues fresh guidelines for international passengers; makes 7-day institutional quarantine mandatory

The Delhi Airport Authority has issued fresh guidelines for international passengers, making seven-day paid institutional quarantine followed by a week of home quarantine mandatory for them. Notably, India has established individual "bilateral bubbles" with some countries, including the US, France and Germany, to operate flights even as there's a ban on all international flights till July 31.

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has asked all the international passengers to sign an undertaking before the overseas mission or an embassy before booking a flight to India.

Those staying in Delhi-NCR areas will need to undergo mandatory health screening twice -- first at the airport and then at the Delhi government post -- once their flight lands in India.

The authority has also exempted four categories of people from the mandatory quarantine, including pregnant women, those with a death in the family, serious illness and parents with children below the age of 10.

So far, only repatriation or rescue flights have been allowed on the international routes under the government's Vande Bharat Mission since the nation-wide lockdown was imposed on March 25.

"Passengers arriving on an international Vande Bharat Mission flight may only take a connecting domestic flight if it also comes under the Vande Bharat Mission. However, passengers who are planning to board onward domestic flights will have to obtain an authorised exemption certificate, if they are coming through non-Vande Bharat international flights," the guideline added.
22/07/20 Business Today

Visakhapatnam airport witnesses increase in domestic flights

There has been an increase in domestic passenger flights from Visakhapatnam International Airport, according to airport director Raj Kishore. Speaking to TNIE on Wednesday, he said when flights resumed after lockdown, there were only five flights from Vizag and the number is slowly being increased. With two more flights launching services this week, the number of flights being operated from Vizag will go up to 10. Indigo will operate one more flight to Bengaluru from July 26 whereas it launched another flight to Kolkata on Wednesday. He stated that the DGCA approval has given approval after airport gave its nod for the flights. He said international flights from Vizag will also resume soon.
“In the beginning there were five flights, including four Indigo and one Air Asia. Later, two Air India and one Indigo flight were launched. Now two Indigo flights are being launched. Air Asia has also proposed to introduce one more morning flight to Bengaluru,” he explained. “The focus is on ensuring social distancing, sanitation and contactless travel to keep coronavirus at bay. The flight timings are staggered or spread out to avoid gathering of large number of passengers at any given point of time,” he observed. He said there was no delay in testing of inbound passengers paving way for early clearance.

“As per revised protocols, tests are being conducted for only 10 per cent of air passengers. Now all passengers were being advised 14-day home quarantine instead of institutional quarantine,” he pointed out. He said Visakhapatnam airport achieved distinction of being coronavirus-free for more than six months though it operated over 30 international flights under Vande Bharat Mission and also after resumption of domestic flights. He said their priority is to make Vizag airport safe to travel.
23/07/20 New Indian Express

TruJet to operate flights between Chennai and Salem only twice weekly till July 31

Salem: Turbo Megha Airways Private Limited that owns TruJet has announced that it will operate flights between Chennai and Salem only on Monday and Saturday till July 31.
There will be changes in the flight timings too. The flight will take off from Chennai airport at 11.45am and reach Salem at 12.45pm. The flight will leave Salem at 1.05m to reach Chennai at 2.05pm. At present, the daily flight takes off from Chennai at 7.25am.
“The new schedule will come into force on Saturday. If there is any change, we will inform passengers,” said an official.
22/07/20 V Senthil Kumaran/Times of India

Nine relief flights with 1860 passengers to arrive at CIAL on Thursday

Kochi: Nine relief flights with 1860 passengers will arrive at Cochin International Airport here on Thursday.
Air India will operate a special flight from New Delhi via Bangalore for the transit-passengers to Kerala who arrived in these cities in India from abroad.
Emirates from Dubai at 0300, 0900, Indigo from Doha at 0505, Fly Dubai from Dubai at 1730, Air India flight from New Delhi (with transit passengers from various countries) at 1815, Go Air from Dammam at 2040, Indigo from Kuwait at 2125, Go Air from Dammam at 2200 and Air India Express from Dubai 2335.
22/07/20 UNI

Flights on but airport transport uncertain

Calcutta: Flights will operate to and from the Calcutta airport during the lockdown on Thursday, Saturday and next Wednesday, airport officials said, but there might not be any public transport for passengers.

A state government official said flights were not on the list of exempted services in the order issued for the lockdown on July 23, 25 and 29.

“Our orders are very clear as to what all services are exempted. Flights and trains don’t fall in the exempted category,” a state government official said on Wednesday. “But if flights operate, we will not stop them.”

The official did not comment on whether public transport would be available at the airport for arriving passengers or for those on their way to the airport to catch a flight. The state government has not exempted public transport either.

Another government official said they were yet to decide whether people travelling in private vehicles to the airport would be stopped or not.
23/07/20 Sanjay Mandal/Telegraph

Estimate for retaining wall of airport ready

Ludhiana: “An estimate of Rs 21 crore for the construction of 4-km retaining wall and an approach road to Halwara Airport has been forwarded to the state government for approval. Once the estimate gets clearance, the construction work will start soon,” said Deputy Commissioner (DC) Varinder Sharma at a meeting here today.
Additional Chief Administrator (ACA), GLADA, Bhupinder Singh, the Raikot SDM, Dr Himanshu Guptam, and other officials attended the review meeting convened by the DC.

“A 4-km retaining wall will be constructed around the land acquired for the construction of civil terminal of Halwara International Airport. Twenty six acres have been earmarked for the construction of a taxi stand, food court, a five-star hotel, two-storey shops and other amenities while 135 acres will be used for constructing the civil terminal,” the DC said.

“The road leading to the airport site will also be widened. The PWD (B&R) and officials have been directed to start the work on the boundary wall of the international airport at the earliest,” the DC added.
22/07/20 Tribune

Delhi International Airport challenges Rs 2,600 crore property tax demand by DCB

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought response of the Centre on a plea by DIAL, which operates the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, challenging the demand of nearly Rs 2,600 crore property tax by the cantonment board for the 2016-19 period.

The high court, however, refused to pass any interim order on the plea seeking stay on the June 15 decision of the board or protecting the Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) from any coercive action for non-payment of the amount which had to be paid within 30 days of raising of the demand.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan issued notices to the ministries of Home Affairs, Defence and Civil Aviation, Delhi Cantonment Board (DCB) and Airport Authority of India (AAI) seeking their stand by August 12.

The high court declined repeated requests by DIAL's counsel for an interim order.

The bench also said that if any action was taken by DCB, DIAL can move an application before the court.

Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma and central government standing counsel Anil Soni accepted notice on behalf of the ministries.

They and the DCB opposed the plea for stay by DIAL and also questioned maintainability of the petition.

Besides seeking quashing of the June 15 order demanding an amount of Rs 2589,10,97,035, the plea also seeks a declaration that the land on which IGI is located is not a cantonment and therefore, does not fall in jurisdiction of the DCB.
23/07/20 PTI/ET Realty.com

CISF personnel succumbs to COVID-19; 10th pandemic death in force

New Delhi: A 49-year-old CISF personnel posted in the Mumbai airport security unit has succumbed to COVID-19, taking the death toll due to the pandemic in the paramilitary force to 10, officials said on Wednesday.
Head Constable Basudeb Mandal passed away at a hospital in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday, they said.
The personnel was posted in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) unit that guards the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and was admitted to a local hospital on June 9 with symptoms of fever and difficulty in breathing.
He was found to be COVID-19 positive two days after admission to the hospital and he breathed his last on Tuesday, they said.
He was a resident of Nadia district in West Bengal.
22/07/20 PTI/Outlook

Kerala HC Dismisses Petition Seeking CBI Investigation In Gold Smuggling Case

On Wednesday, a division bench of the Kerala HC comprising Chief Justice S Manikumar and Justice Shali P Chaly dismissed a plea seeking a CBI probe into the gold smuggling case. The petition had been filed by Cherthala resident Michael Varghese through advocate Mathews Nedumpura. Mentioning that an NIA probe is already underway in the gold smuggling case, the bench observed that there was no need to intervene in the investigation.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, suspended bureaucrat M Sivasankar and accused Swapna Suresh were named as respondents in the plea. The petition argued that the mafia behind such illegal activities shall go scot-free unless an investigation is conducted by the CBI in tandem with the Customs and the state police. It expressed apprehension that similar offences would be repeated if proper action is not taken.
On July 5, Customs officials seized 30 kg of gold worth Rs.15 crore at the Thiruvananthapuram Airport from a diplomatic cargo addressed to a person in the UAE Consulate. Sarith Kumar, who worked at the UAE Consulate was arrested in this regard. Reportedly, he told the Customs about the role of Swapna Suresh, an ex-Consulate employee now working as the manager of the Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited.

The case took a political turn after photos with Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan surfaced. It has been alleged that Suresh has links with the CM and has been seen with him at parties when she was working at the UAE Consulate. Following the backlash over her appointment, she was sacked by the state government. On July 16, Vijayan announced that the suspension of his former Principal Secretary M Sivasankar pending the departmental inquiry. The NIA registered an FIR against Sarith Kumar, Swapna Suresh, Fazil Fareed, Sandeep Nair, and others under various sections of the UAPA.
22/07/20 Akhil Oka/Republicworld

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Delhi Airport and 22feet Tribal Worldwide take travellers on a virtual tour in Instagram campaign

Delhi Airport joined hands with 22feet Tribal Worldwide, part of the DDB Mudra Group, to launch an innovative Instagram campaign #DELnavigate. The initiative enables people to experience India virtually while being safe at home.
The pandemic has forced travel enthusiasts to stay indoors and has potentially derailed plans for travel this year. Delhi Airport spotted an opportunity to offer a unique experience through #DELnavigate, to lift the spirits of people experiencing wanderlust by allowing them to explore picturesque locations from their phones.

Delhi Airport’s reconnection to a host of domestic destinations is seen through a virtual network of destinations on Instagram. Four zone accounts — @DELtoNorth, @DELtoEast, @DELtoSouth  and  @DELtoWest — connects to four more destination accounts each. These are connected via tags through Instagram highlight stories. Users can seamlessly engage with multiple story highlights that showcase popular picturesque destinations in the country.
22/07/20 BestMediaInfo

West Bengal Lockdown: Will Flights on July 23, 25, 29 be Cancelled? Airlines in Catch-22 Situation

The airlines with scheduled flights to Kolkata are in a catch-22 situation after the state government announced selective full lockdown in the state until July 31. The government on Tuesday issued a fresh order imposing full lockdown in the state on July 23, July 25 and July 29, apart from the broad-based lockdown going on in the containment zones of the state. A list of permitted activities has also been released. But aviation is not mentioned in the list, which has cast a spell of doubt over domestic flight operations in the state.
The state had already barred domestic flights coming in from Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Pune and Nagpur till July 31, while flights coming from other states are allowed. But what will happen on July 23, July 25 and July 29 — the specific dates the government has announced for full lockdowns across the state? The airlines have no clarity. Even if the flights are in operation, the movement of the flyers from the airports to their destination remains uncertain as the government has made no provision for them. All public and private transport are prohibited during these days. There is no mention of any special pass to facilitate transport on these days.
List of permitted activities:
1. Medicine shops and pharmacies
2. Transport of health personnel, patients.
3. Law and order, courts, fire and emergency services
4. Electricity, water and conservancy services
5. Industries with in-house workers
6. Agriculture operations
7. Interstate and intrastate movement of goods
8. E-commerce
22/07/20 India.com

Bengaluru: Migrant workers returning in style

Bengaluru: A group of 60 migrant workers landed at the the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) a few days ago on a flight from Patna, strengthening a developing trend of workers ‘flying down’ to resume jobs they had lost during the lockdown or find new ones. All 60 were first-time flyers and their Seva Sindhu registration showed they had left Bengaluru on a Shramik train during the lockdown.

The trend is said to be orchestrated by construction agents at the behest of builders, who are desperate to complete over 500 building projects in city.

Sources at KIA said in the last two weeks, migrant workers have been arriving in batches on domestic flights from Patna, Delhi and Lucknow. “They are all first-time flyers who left on Shramik trains which were run free of cost by the government,” said a BMTC official on special duty at KIA.

Over 2,000 workers have flown back in the last few weeks alone, all going into home isolation after furnishing local addresses to airport authorities. “In most cases, the addresses are under-construction buildings in Sarjapur, Whitefield and other parts of Bengaluru,” said another government staffer on health duty at KIA.

Sources say some builders who have collected payments from customers are desperate to finish projects which have been stalled since March.
22/07/20 Petlee Peter/Times of India