Private operators are helping government and pharma companies to maintain the supply of chain
The nationwide lockdown over coronavirus might have stalled domestic and commercial flights but the skies are buzzing with regular cargo flights. The Ministry of Civil Aviation is co-ordinating with different airlines and have managed to kick start hubs in various remote regions on India.
Airlines and freight forwarders are continuing to ramp up their cargo operations in response to the urgent demand for critical medical equipment in different parts of India.
"When transportation of medical supplies to different regions was getting difficult due to cross border movement between different states due to lockdown, many private operators agreed to help us out," a senior functionary in Ministry of Civil Aviation told NDTV.
According to him, even private operators are helping government medical and pharma companies and international retailers to maintain the supply of chain.
As per data with the aviation ministry, SpiceJet has operated 220 cargo flights from 24 March to April 8, covering a distance of 2,99,775 km and carrying 1,805.6 tons of cargo. Out of these 61 were international cargo flights.
On Thursday, SpiceJet operated its first cargo flight to Singapore from Chennai to bring back critical medical equipment and other supplies to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak in India. The budget carrier said it will operate a second freighter flight on Friday carrying medical supplies from Singapore to Bengaluru.
Blue Dart operated 70 domestic cargo flights covering a distance of 67,273 km and carrying 1,075 tons of cargo from 25 March to April 8.
IndiGo has also operated 15 cargo flights between April 3 and 8, covering a distance of 12,206 km and carrying 4.37 tons of cargo.
According to officials in the aviation ministry, the domestic lifeline - Ude Desh ka Aam Nagarik (UDAN) cargo also is being used to supply COVID-19 related reagents, enzymes, medical equipment, testing kits, personal protective equipment (PPE), masks, gloves, other materials of HLL and ICMR; cargo requisitioned by State/UT Governments and postal packets.
"Several small airports in India have been earmarked as Lifeline UDAN Airports that will facilitate transport of medical cargo and other essential supplies across India at the time of the COVID-19 crisis," the official stated, adding that these small airports are now being treated as hub of medical transport in a war-like situation.
As per data collected by the aviation ministry, till April 8 as many as 167 flights with cargo shipments have operated.
The Air India and the Air Force collaborated primarily for Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, North-East and other island regions. "Critical medical equipment has been sent to these remote areas," a senior functionary the government discloses.
The aviation ministry has also created cargo hubs at Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Chennai via which supplies are regularly being sent to Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Agartala, Aizwal, Dimapur, Imphal, Jorhat, Mysuru, Nagpur, Coimbatore, Trivandrum, Bhubaneshwar, Raipur, Ranchi, Srinagar, Port Blair, Patna, Cochin, Vijaywada, Ahmedabad, Jammu, Kargil, Ladakh, Chandigarh and Goa.
Officials claim that an air bridge has also been established between Shanghai and Delhi. First cargo flight of Air India operated on April 4 and brought 21 tons of medical equipment. And on April 7, Air India brought 6.14 tons of medical equipment from Hong Kong. On the same day, Air India also lifted 8.85 tons of supplies to Colombo and on April 8 air lifted 3.76 tons of supplies again to Colombo.
Pawan Hans Ltd also operated five cargo flights up to April 8, carrying 1.07 tons of critical medical supplies to Guwahati, Agartala, Kishwar, Navapachi, Srinagar, Jammu, Nagpur, Aurangabad, covering 3,561 kilometres.
India has imposed a 21-day lockdown till April 14 to curb the coronavirus pandemic. Consequently, all domestic and international commercial passenger flights have been suspended for this time period. However, cargo flights, offshore helicopter operations, medical evacuation flights and special flights permitted by Indian aviation regulator DGCA are allowed to operate during this lockdown.