Domestic air travel to commence from May 25 in 'calibrated manner'; SOP to be issued

Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has announced that domestic flights will recommence in a calibrated manner from May 25 onwards. Taking to Twitter, Puri stated that all airports and air carriers are being informed to be ready for operations from Monday onwards. He added that the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for passenger movement is also being separately issued. 

The development comes just a day after the Civil Aviation Minister had stated that the Centre alone cannot operate domestic flights, adding that the state governments will also have to be ready to operate domestic flights. In a notice issued by the DGCA earlier, domestic and international aviation operations had been restricted till May 31 under the fourth phase of the lockdown. 

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MHA issues revised guidelines

After the extension of the nationwide lockdown till May 31, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), on Sunday, released its detailed guidelines for the extended lockdown. The MHA has allowed the delineation of red, green and orange zones as per state and UT governments, taking the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) into consideration. Moreover, the Centre has also imposed a mandatory night curfew in all areas from 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM, except for essential activities.

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As per MHA guidelines metros, educational institutions, hotels, cinema halls, malls, gyms, swimming pools, places of worship, and social/ political/ sport/ entertainment/ cultural/ religious events will remain prohibited. On the other hand, sports complexes and stadia are allowed to open without spectators. Moreover, inter-state movement of passenger vehicles and buses will be allowed on mutual consent and intra-state movement of vehicles can be allowed as per the state government's decision.

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