IAF, airlines maintain air bridge to remote areas for ferrying Covid supplies

Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, April 21

As many as 316 flights have been operated during the lockdown period so far under the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s ‘Lifeline Udan’ venture for transporting essential medical supplies to remote parts of the country to support efforts for mitigating the COVID-19 threat.

The flights are being undertaken by Air India, Alliance Air, Indian Air Force and private operators, covering a total aerial distance of 3,14,965 kilometres.

Air India and Alliance Air Cargo have launched 196 flights ferrying around 541 tonnes of cargo, according to data released on Tuesday by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The IAF has mobilised its transport and rotary wing aircraft along with the necessary support infrastructure to create and maintain ‘air-bridges’ between nodal supply bases and recipient locations across the country.

The IAF has airlifted approximately 450 tonnes of medical equipment and support material to locations in 16 states and three union territories.

The critical requirement of transporting swab samples for testing from Ladakh continues to be undertaken by IAF. In addition, IAF has also airlifted COVID-19 support material for various agencies, including Defence Research and Development Organisation and the Indian Council for Medical Research.

Helicopter services, including Pawan Hans, have been operating in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, the north-eat and island territories, transporting critical medical cargo and patients. Pawan Hans has carried 1.90 tons of cargo covering a distance of 6,537 km.

A cargo air-bridge has also been established with East Asia for transportation of pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and COVID-19 relief material. So far 17 international flights, carrying a total of 287 tonnes have been operated.

According to the Civil Aviation Ministry data, domestic cargo operators SpiceJet, Blue Dart and Indigo are operating cargo flights on a commercial basis. Spicejet operated 447 cargo flights during March 24 to April 20, covering a distance of 6,64,675 km and carrying 3,516 tons of cargo.

Out of these 143 were international cargo flights. Blue Dart operated 152 domestic cargo flights covering a distance of 1,49,333 km and carrying 2,407 tons of cargo from March 25 to April 20.

Indigo has operated 33 cargo flights during April 3-20, covering a distance of 37,160 km and carrying around 66 tons of cargo. This also includes medical supplies carried free of cost for the government.

Lifeline Udan’s domestic cargo includes COVID-19 related reagents, enzymes, medical equipment, testing kits, personal protective equipment, face masks, gloves and other materials requisitioned by state governments besides postal packets.

All such flights operate on a hub and spoke model. Special focus has been on the North East Region, island territories and the hill states, which have primarily been covered by the IAF and Air India.

Bulk of the cargo like masks, gloves and medical consumables, though light weight, is voluminous, which requires large storage spaces on aircraft. Special permission has been accorded to store cargo in the passenger seating area and overhead cabins of aircraft with due precautions and under specific conditions.