Only 2 international flights allowed to land in a day

Mohali, July 4

To ensure a staggered arrival of flights, the Department of Civil Aviation, Punjab, has decided to allow only two flights carrying passengers stranded in various countries to land at the Chandigarh international airport in a day.

Deputy Commissioner Girish Dayalan said requests were being received from various airlines to allow landing of flights at the Mohali and Amritsar airports carrying Indians stranded abroad. He said keeping in view the capacity of handling incoming passengers and ensuring proper institutional quarantine, the arrival of flights might be staggered, allowing only two flights a day, at either airport. Under exceptional circumstances, more flights could be considered, he added.

Dayalan said the state governments should designate their nodal officers from whom NOC/permission had to be sought.

The DC said if all passengers in a flight were from Punjab, the airlines could apply for permission to the office of the Director, Civil Aviation. If the flight had a passenger(s) from other state(s) too, the airlines should seek permission/NOC from the nodal officer of the state(s) concerned before applying for permission to the office of the Director, Civil Aviation, he added.

The DC said the airlines should also furnish an undertaking from the nodal officer of the state concerned that the arrangements for the transport of passengers from the airport to the respective state and further institutional quarantine (in the respective state) shall be made by its government.

Dayalan said a soft copy of the break-up of the passengers of Punjab (clearly mentioning destination district) and those of other states should be provided while applying for the permission. The permission should be sought at least two days before the intended date of arrival.

As per the guidelines of the MHA and the Government of Punjab, all international passengers reaching the state must undergo institutional quarantine for seven days followed by home quarantine for another seven days. —TNS