Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : The Ministry of Civil Aviation is undertaking continuous efforts at policy level and ground level to add substantially in the country’s fight against Covid-19. The cargo delivered to various parts of the country includes COVID-19 related reagents, enzymes, medical equipment, testing kits and PPE, masks, gloves & other accessories of HLL and cargo requisitioned by State/UT Governments and also postal packets.
With the delivery of essential medical supplies to various states and ICMR centres across the country, the following has been achieved: Delivery of reagents/ medical kits enables testing of patients on time and hence further steps are taken accordingly; Doctors as well as other people can protect themselves and others with the use of masks and gloves delivered through these flights; Medical supplies delivered to NE and remote areas ensures that no region of the country is left behind in this fight against Covid-19.
Hub & spoke lifeline services have been started so that simultaneously different and far located parts of the country can be catered to and resources are utilised optimally. Air India and IAF collaborated for Ladakh, Dimapur, Imphal, Gangtok, Guwahati , Bagdogra, Chennai and Port Blair. A dedicated Medical Air Cargo related website LIFELINE UDAN has been launched and is functional.
INTERNATIONAL– An air bridge between Shanghai & Delhi has been established. First cargo flight of Air India is scheduled for on April 5, 2020. Air India will be operating dedicated scheduled cargo flights to China for uplifting of critical medical equipment.
PRIVATE OPERATORS – Domestic Cargo Operators: Blue Dart, Spicejet, and Indigo are operating cargo flights on commercial basis. Spicejet operated 153 cargo flights from March 24– April 3, 2020, covering a distance of 2,07,947 Kmd carrying 1,213.64 Tons of cargo. Out of these 44 were international cargo flights. Blue Dart operated 48 domestic cargo flights covering a distance of 45,783 Km carrying 702.43 Tons of cargo from March 25 – April 3, 2020. Indigo also operated 5 cargo flights on April 3, 2020, covering a distance of 4,871 Km and carrying 2.33 tons of cargo, according to a PIB release.