Kolkata Extends Ban On Flights From 6 Cities Including Mumbai & Delhi

The Kolkata airport had earlier informed that no flights would operate to the city from Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Chennai and Ahmedabad from July 6 to July 19. Due to the spike in the coronavirus cases in West Bengal, the airport authorities have extended the ban till July 31. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata had resumed operations on May 28. Domestic flights had started services in India on May 25. The start date of operations in Kolkata had to be deferred by three days owing to restoration work after the devastations caused by cyclone Amphan.

Kolkata Airport Extends Ban On Flights From 6 Cities Till July 31

A month ago, West Bengal chief secretary Rajiva Sinha wrote to civil aviation ministry secretary P.S. Kharola, “West Bengal is witnessing a steep rise in cases. Accordingly, I request you not to schedule any flight to Kolkata or Bagdogra from high prevalence places viz. Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Chennai, Indore, Ahmedabad and Surat for two weeks from July.” With around 1894 new cases, the coronavirus tally in West Bengal has reached nearly 40, 209 now. The death toll in 1076. To curb the spread of the virus and ensure faster elimination of the pandemic, the state government has cancelled flights from the highly affected places.

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Indian States Worst-Affected By Coronavirus

The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in India is now about 1.12 million with 27,497 deaths. Maharashtra has the maximum number of cases, followed by Tamil Nadu and Delhi NCT. According to the Aarogya Setu app, the confirmed cases in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Delhi NCT are around 310455, 170693 and 122793 respectively. The number of cases in Karnataka is 63772 and Andhra Pradesh has recorded 49650 cases.

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Considering the above figures, it is best to refrain from travelling in public transport now unless it is absolutely necessary. Even if you’re travelling, don’t forget to follow the norms of safety and social distancing. Wear a mask and sanitize your hands frequently. On that note, here’s a first-hand flight experience from Mumbai to Delhi amid the pandemic.