By Krishnan Nayar NEW DELHI, (Pakistan Point News - 22nd Mar, 2021) "With rising COVID19 cases in some regions necessitating restrictions and imposition of compulsory RT-PCR tests, the number of fliers is holding steady," India’s Civil Aviation Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri, has said.
From 25th May last year, when India began a phased resumption of flights during a lockdown, until this week, 52 million passengers have traversed Indian skies on half a million flights, according to figures put out by the Airports Authority of India to supplement Puri’s statement.
An average of quarter million passengers are now flying through airports in India daily, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said. The number of flights on Indian skies is averaging 4,500 daily, the Ministry added.
Puri revealed this morning that India has brought back 6.77 million of its citizens from around the world since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. Describing India’s global repatriation mission known as "Vande Bharat" as the "world's largest mission of hope and happiness" through aviation, Puri said that in addition, air bubbles with 27 global destinations continue to "provide smooth passage for repatriation and international travel."
Air bubbles are temporary arrangements between two countries aimed at restarting commercial passenger services when regular international flights are suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. India is yet to resume regular international commercial flights which were suspended early last year during a lockdown. The Vande Bharat evacuation operations began on 7th May last year.
Puri said India’s civil aviation operations continue to soar towards pre-COVID-19 levels while maintaining safety norms at airports.
