Coronavirus: Airports Authority of India intensifies screening at 12 NE airports

Guwahati/Agartala/Aizawl: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has further stepped up screening and testing passengers in the 12 operational airports in the northeastern region for coronavirus, officials said on Saturday.

As per the health and other officials, no positive coronavirus case has appeared in the eight northeastern states, including Sikkim, yet.

AAI’s Regional Executive Director (NER) Sanjeev Jindal said the screening of passengers – including by infrared thermometers – has been further intensified at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport and at 11 other airports in the northeastern States.

“The airport in Guwahati is the only one in the northeast to operate flights to Singapore and Bhutan but the government has already barred the operation of the international flights,” he told IANS.

“North-East is the only region of India which is the safest zone. We are trying our best to remain in that category.”

“We are vigorously sanitizing the aircraft, terminal, and other buildings, all types of gadgets and furniture. Airport staff and security personnel while working day and night have also taken preventive measures,” said Jindal

There are 12 airports operating in the northeastern region. These include Guwahati, Silchar, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Tezpur (all in Assam), Tezu and Pasighat (Arunachal Pradesh), Agartala (Tripura), Imphal (Manipur), Shillong (Meghalaya), Dimapur (Nagaland) and Lengpui (Mizoram).

Budget carrier GoAir, which had earlier suspended its operations for 28 days in some northeastern states, including Mizoram, in view of coronavirus scare and ensuing travel restrictions, has withdrawn its suspension.

In Mizoram, the State government has in a notification said that 50 percent of Group B, C, and D employees are required to attend office every day, and the remaining 50 percent staff should be instructed to work from home.

“The officials who are working from home on a particular day as per the roster should be available on telephone and electronic means of communication at all times. They should attend office if called for any exigency of work,” said the notification, issued on Friday night.

Officials also said that the ongoing week-long budget session of the Tripura assembly would be cut short after holding the session on Monday. (IANS)

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