Domestic flight services that stopped in late March due to lockdown over rising cases of coronavirus spread is all set to resume services after two months on May 25. Union Minister of Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted that domestic passenger flights would continue “in a calibrated manner”. Railway services that have been only operating special trains for migrant workers will run 200 regular passenger trains on June 1, the booking for which starts today. The center on May 17 announced that all passenger buses would be allowed to ply between the states given the nod of the state government.
The authorities have set some new SOPs to be followed at airports by all passengers taking a flight. Here are the protocols to be followed:
• Every passenger will have to go through thermal screening before entering the airport and have Aarogya Setu installed on their phones, except for children aged below 14. Passengers showing ‘green’ will only be allowed entry.
• Passenger and staff can reach the airport or exit from it only with private vehicles or select cab services.
• Wearing masks and gloves for all passengers is mandatory. Staff will have hand sanitizer and Personal Protective Equipment
• Passengers will be allowed into the terminal building if their flights are within four hours
• Trolleys will not be allowed in the arrival or departure sections, except for special cases, for which they will be disinfected.
• Employees with high fever, difficulty in breathing or cough will not be allowed entry into the airport
For the rail journey as well, passengers will be screened for COVID-19 infection before boarding. Symptomatic passengers will not be allowed to board trains and, in such cases, will get a full refund. Everyone must wear masks and have the COVID-19 contact-tracing app Aarogya Setu installed in their mobiles.
Meanwhile, several states like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat have started intra-state bus services but are yet to start inter-state buses. Meanwhile, the Haryana government, two days after it announced to resume inter-State bus service, rolled back its decision.
