Published On : Sun, Apr 19th, 2020

Flights, trains unlikely to begin on May 3

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Restrictions on air and train travel may continue beyond May 3, when the 40-day lockdown in India to stop the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic comes to an end, at least three people who attended a Group of Ministers meeting on Saturday said on condition of anonymity.

One union minister said that there was a suggestion in the meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at his house that air travel may be started on May 15. These and other suggestions from a free-wheeling discussion attended by ministers including Textile minister Smriti Irani, aviation minister Hardeep Puri and others, will be conveyed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a final decision.

There was a discussion on restarting air operations. The aviation minister also said that the planes being parked were also leading to an expense, said one of the attendees. Puri declined comment.

Meanwhile, Air India opened up international bookings from June 1, 2020 and bookings on select domestic routes from May 4, 2020.