Nod for road & train travel just after May 3 unlikely
GoM For Resumption Of Domestic Flights, But With Riders
Akhilesh.Singh@timesgroup.com
New Delhi:19.04.2020
As the government prepares for lockdown relaxations, the group of ministers under defence minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday suggested resumption of domestic flights in certain ‘safe areas’ after the nationwide shutdown in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic ends on May 3.
It said the final call will be taken by the ministries of home and civil aviation after reviewing the status of the virus spread in cities and feedback from states.
“There was consensus among the ministers that domestic flights should be resumed in the sectors where Covid-19 cases have not been reported and where there is no threat of spread of the virus,” a government functionary said.
However, the ministers were not in favour of any immediate relaxation on interstate movement by other modes of transport like trains or public and private vehicles even after May 3, sources said.
“Any extension of the lockdown period, whether to be done or not, will be decided after taking stock of the situation across the country. However, ministers were of the view that resuming inter-state travel will be highly risky,” an official said adding that there was consensus that trains should not be be run immediately after the lockdown is over.
Meanwhile, home minister Amit Shah reviewed the working of MHA’s control room and took stock of the situation in states.
Those present at the meeting included the two ministers of state G Kishan Reddy, who had also attended the GoM meeting chaired by Rajnath Singh, and Nityanand Rai besides the home secretary and other ministry officials.
The MHA control room is operational 24/7 and is coordinating with states as well as with various ministries to sort out issues relating to implementation of the lockdown.
Full report on www.toi.in
“There was consensus among the ministers that domestic flights should be resumed in the sectors where Covid-19 cases have not been reported and where there is no threat of spread of the virus,” a government functionary said.
However, the ministers were not in favour of any immediate relaxation on interstate movement by other modes of transport like trains or public and private vehicles even after May 3, sources said.
“Any extension of the lockdown period, whether to be done or not, will be decided after taking stock of the situation across the country. However, ministers were of the view that resuming inter-state travel will be highly risky,” an official said adding that there was consensus that trains should not be be run immediately after the lockdown is over.
Meanwhile, home minister Amit Shah reviewed the working of MHA’s control room and took stock of the situation in states.
Those present at the meeting included the two ministers of state G Kishan Reddy, who had also attended the GoM meeting chaired by Rajnath Singh, and Nityanand Rai besides the home secretary and other ministry officials.
The MHA control room is operational 24/7 and is coordinating with states as well as with various ministries to sort out issues relating to implementation of the lockdown.
Full report on www.toi.in
TRANSPORTING ESSENTIALS: Workers unload sacks of rice in Kanyakumari on Saturday from a train that came from AP
Air India resumes domestic bookings for May 4 onwards
Air India resumed bookings on Saturday for domestic flights from May 4 and for international travel from June 1, reports Saurabh Sinha. AI was the only Indian carrier that had at the beginning of this month stopped bookings fin April so that passengers wouldn’t find their money stuck. Other airlines kept taking bookings for domestic flights post April 15 (when the first phase of lockdown was to get over) and for international flights from May 1. The aviation ministry has ordered airlines to give full refunds to passengers who have booked tickets only during the lockdown for flights cancelled in the lockdown (March 25 to May 3). “When flights actually resume will depend on a final government go-ahead and when the lockdown is lifted/relaxed. We are preparing as per current lockdown end dates,” said a senior airline official.
No comments:
Post a Comment