Flight services in Andhra Pradesh to reopen on May 26

The reason for the state government's request to the Centre to defer resumption of flight services by a day and to resume from Tuesday only on a limited scale remains a mystery.
For representational purpose. (File | PTI)
For representational purpose. (File | PTI)

VIJAYAWADA: Flight services will not resume in Andhra Pradesh on Monday. The services will resume only from Tuesday on a limited scale. This was announced by Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday night. "As per request of state governmentt, operations in Andhra Pradesh will recommence on limited scale from May 26,'' he tweeted.

It appears that only 20 percent of the summer schedule will be operational from Vijayawada and Vizag airports. The reason for the state government's request to the Centre to defer resumption of flight services by a day and to resume from Tuesday only on a limited scale remains a mystery.

Even airport directors appeared clueless and some on condition of anonymity told TNIE that the reason could be lack of clarity on the quarantine procedures.

Utter confusion prevailed through the evening till the Union Civil Aviation Minister gave clarity on twitter around 9.30 pm. Sources said the state government may be concerned over the increasing number of COVID-19 cases among those who are returning to the State from other States and abroad.

As per the medical bulletin, 17 new positive cases of foreign returnees were recorded on Sunday itself while the cumulative positive cases from other states stand at 153. Meanwhile, around 56 of the passengers who arrived from Dubai in Vijayawada recently and were quarantined at IIT-Nuzvid showed symptoms of COVID-19 on Sunday and were shifted to hospitals in Vijayawada for isolation and treatment.

When contacted, Krishna district collector A Md Imtiaz said they are yet to get Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on quarantining air passengers who arrive in Vijayawada. "The district administration is ready to receive the passengers and follow the SOP,'' he said. Altogether, around 15-20 flights scheduled to and from Andhra Pradesh on Monday stand cancelled. 

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