India to resume domestic passenger flights from May 25

NEW DELHI: The union government on Wednesday announced to restart the domestic civil operations from Monday in a calibrated manner. Union Minister for Civil Aviation Mr Hardeep Singh Puri said all airports and air carriers are being informed to be ready for operations from May 25 and Standard Operating Procedures for passenger movement will be issued soon.

The Indian Railways too has announced to commence its routine passenger train operations from June 1 with about 200 non-AC trains. These trains will be in addition to the Shramik Specials and the other long distance special trains that are running at present.

The flights and trains were stopped in late March when government announced country-wide lockdown to slow the spread of novel coronavirus.

The government on Wednesday also allowed schools to reopen to conduct remaining CBSE Class 10 and 12 Board examinations from July 1. Such students will have to take exams in their own schools now and there will be no external test centres.

States/UTs have been asked to arrange for special buses to pick and rop such students. However, there can be no examination centre in the containment zones.

It will be mandatory for students and teachers etc to wear face mask and there should be thermal screening. Students will have to carry their own sanitizers and have to be seated at a distance from each other.

The MHA has said that the examination schedule of different Boards should be staggered. The CBSE Board exam evaluation is being carried out from home.

The government is slowly opening up both economic activities and people’s movement after 55 days of complete shut down due to novel coronavirus pandemic.

Several states have allowed inter-state and intra-state public and private transport with limited number of passengers. However, mass rapid transit systems like metro, trams, passenger trains etc have remained closed till now.