New Delhi: No domestic flights will operate from Wednesday, the government has announced, in a massive step in India’s fight to check the spread of coronavirus. Airlines have to plan operations so as to land at their destination before 11.59 pm on Tuesday, the government said. Only cargo flights will be allowed.
International flights had already been banned for a week. The government’s announcement came as the number of coronavirus cases rose to 415 on Monday. There have been eight deaths. Yesterday, the centre had countered Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal when he said no flights would be allowed in or out of the capital.The Directorate General of Civil Aviation had put out a clarification saying there would be no change in domestic flight operations.
This morning, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to stop flights to Bengal.
Worldwide, coronavirus has claimed more than 13,000 lives and some 300,000 people are infected. The highly contagious disease spreads from person to person through contact or through respiratory droplets when a patient coughs or sneezes.
