Pune airport handled domestic transportation of over 10 crore Covishield doses till May 27: AAI

New Delhi, June 3

The Pune airport has handled the transportation of more than 10 crore doses of Covishield vaccine to other cities of the country till May 27, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) stated on Thursday.

Pune Airport has been playing its role dedicatedly as the hub for the distribution of Serum Institute's Covidshield vaccine across India, the AAI's statement noted.

The Centre-run AAI owns and manages more than 100 airports across the country, including the one in Pune. 

"More than 10 crore doses of Covid vaccine from January 12 till May 27, approximately 9,052 Pieces (approx. 2,89,465 wgt. in kgs) have been transported through various airlines from Pune airport to different destinations (within India)," the AAI stated.

There is a dedicated team of Airports Authority of India, AAI Cargo Logistics and Allied Services Company Limited, Central Industrial Security Force, Serum Institute, airlines and the Indian Air Force which ensures coordination and priority handling of flights carrying vaccines out of Pune airport, it noted.

It said the airport has also been transporting the vaccines internationally.

"Around 2,16,000 doses (570 kgs) of Covid vaccine have been transported to Suriname, Saint Kitts, St Vincent and Gernadines, Antigua and Barbuda, St Lucia from the Pune airport by chartered flight in February 2021," it mentioned.

India has been badly hit by the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic during the last couple of weeks and several states across the country have been complaining about the shortage of vaccines.

With 1,34,154 fresh cases, India's Covid-19 tally has climbed to 2,84,41,986, while the daily positivity rate has further dropped to 6.21 per cent, the health ministry said on Thursday.

The death toll due to the viral disease has climbed to 3,37,989 with 2,887 more people succumbing to it, while the number of active Covid-19 cases was recorded below 20 lakh for the third consecutive day, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. — PTI