New Delhi: India is under total lockdown for past two weeks as a part of 3-week lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of coronavirus pandemic. Commercial flight operations also came to a halt at the Delhi Airport on March 25, 2020 following the announcement of the lockdown.
However, in the last 14 days the airport remained functional 24x7 to handle cargo and special evacuation flights, operated by countries like Japan, Norway, Germany, Afghanistan, Poland, Russia, France etc. to repatriate their nationals stranded in India.
Delhi Airport has handled a total of 56 flights (between March 25, 2020 and April 7, 2020) in which about 10,618 stranded foreign nationals flew to their country of origin from here.
These flights were operated following the permission of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
This has been made possible by the DIAL employees from operations, housekeeping, Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF), apron control, etc. and staff from CISF, immigration, airlines, ground handling agencies, ATC, etc. They are working round the clock at the airport.
Members of terminal operations team and facilitation team are also working at odd hours to facilitate the arriving and departing passengers of special flights within the terminal.
“At present, Delhi Airport is handling cargo and evacuation flights, operated by various countries. We have handled around 56 evacuation flights and helped over 10,600 stranded foreign nationals in reaching their homes in the last 14 days since the lockdown has come into force. I would like to thank all officials and their family members for their professionalism and their sense of duty to serve the nation,” CEO-DIAL Videh Kumar Jaipuriar said.
Apart from this, they are also engaged in the distribution of food items and water to the arriving or departing passengers, at the airport.
The Cityside team is managing the traffic outside the terminal to avoid any traffic congestion in and around the area. The Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting team (ARFF) is also vigilant and is ready to handle any crisis.
The operation of flights carrying out evacuation has been very smooth due to the coordinated efforts of the airport employees. Their efforts have been well appreciated by the officials of various embassies.
