6 domestic flights carrying 562 stranded passengers arrived at Srinagar airport

With the resumption of domestic flight operations under UDAAN programme from today, eight domestic flights carrying 573 passengers, who were stranded at different destinations of the country till date landed here today at Srinagar International Airport at different duration of time.

The arrival of flights started with the landing of first flight from Air Asia at 7:25am. All passengers who arrived at the airport were subject to sampling for COVID-19 testing & minutely screened for home or institutional quarantine.

The airport was fully prepared and equipped to receive the passengers strictly following the procedures and guidelines prescribed by the Civil Aviation Ministry and Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. On arrival, all passengers coming to UT of J&K by air who arrived and for coming days, shall be kept in institutional or home quarantine for prescribed period, sampling will be done of all passengers and test samples will be sent to SKIMS to determine their results.

Those passengers who test negative shall be sent to home and positive, if any will be sent to hospital for further treatment. It is pertinent to mention here that 274 passengers today travelled by air, outside Kashmir Division today.

Speaking on the occasion, Principal Secretary to the government, Dheeraj Gupta accompanied by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir P K Pole, Secretary Tourism, Zubair Ahmad, DC Budgam, Tariq Hussain Ganie, Vice Chairman LAWDA, Tafuail Matooo, Director Industries, Mahmood Ahmad Shah, Director Health Kashmir, Sameer Matoo, Director Airport Authority, other concerned Officers/ officials while recieving passengers at the airport as Nodal Officer said that prior to landing of first flight all facilities and other arrangements have already been put in place including SOPs for receiving the passengers at the airport.

He said for the convenience of passengers special help desks has been established in order to capture first hand information from the passengers after their disembarking. He further added that for sample collection from the passengers for covid-19 test, 30 Test Koisks have been setup at the airport, besides passengers who will be taken for administrative quarantine, adequate transport facilities provided by SRTC have already been made available at the airport.

Speaking on the occasion the DM Budgam said passengers arriving at the airport are being screened for Covid-19 tests, their sampling is also being done accordingly as per the prescribed protocol. All the arriving passengers will be put under administrative/home quarantine for prescribed period, after completion their testing will be carried out, negative passengers will be sent to home and positive ones if found will be sent to hospital.

Regarding other passengers the DC said there are exemptions as seriously ill patients, pregnant women and the passengers suffering from other chronic diseases having symptoms of any other health issue will be allowed to go for home quarantine. (KNS)