New Delhi (NVI): 316 flights have been operated under Lifeline Udan by Air India, Alliance Air, IAF and private carriers during COVID-19 lockdown, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said today.
196 of these flights have been operated by Air India and Alliance Air. Cargo transported till date is around 541.33 tons, the ministry said in a statement.
Aerial distance covered by Lifeline Udan flights till date is over 3,14,965 km, it added.
‘Lifeline Udan’ flights are being operated by MoCA to transport essential medical cargo to remote parts of the country to support India’s war against COVID-19, the ministry said.
Apart from this, helicopter services including Pawan Hans Ltd have been operating in J&K, Ladakh, Islands and North East region transporting critical medical cargo and patients. “Pawan Hans till 20 April 2020 have carried 1.90 tons of cargo covering a distance of 6537 kms,” the ministry said.
The domestic Lifeline Udan cargo includes COVID-19 related reagents, enzymes, medical equipment, testing kits, Personal protective equipment (PPE), masks, gloves, other materials of HLL and ICMR; cargo requisitioned by State/UT Governments and postal packets etc.
Domestic Lifeline Udan flights operate in a hub and spoke model. Special focus has been on the North East Region, island territories and the hill states. Air India and IAF collaborated primarily for J&K, Ladakh, North-East and other island regions, the Civil Aviation Ministry said.
Bulk of the cargo comprises light-weight and voluminous products like masks, gloves and other consumables, that consume relatively larger storage space on the aircraft. Special permission has been taken to store cargo in the passenger seating area and overhead cabins, with due precautions, it said.
