States must follow Centre’s quarantine guidelines: Aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri

May 29,2020

States must follow Centre’s quarantine guidelines: Aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri

While a large part of the economy is still reeling under the lockdown or struggling to restart, the aviation sector has resumed operations and is slowly adding flights. Aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri tells

Mihir Mishra in an interview that he expects states to follow the rules announced by the union health ministry on flight operations. He also expects that interest in Air India will increase post Covid-19.
First of all, you need to see that the operations started after you have been in a state of complete lockdown for 60 days. In civil aviation, lifting the lockdown means you have to have all your systems ready. Which means in practice that your airports have to be ready. All your airport systems have to be functioning. Your airlines have to be ready to carry out operations. And most importantly, you must have the state governments, both from the point of departure and arrival, on board. 
There is one thing I want to tell you, and I don't think any state government can suggest to the contrary. We were in discussions and are in discussion with them (states) on a daily basis. I think we did very well. We had only one day of uncertainty and dislocation one day. I think it was commendable. It is a great tribute to the team.
Look, when you're coming out of a lockdown and you are going into recommencement of civil aviation, which is one of the critical drivers of growth, you are actually taking a small but important step in the restoration of economic normalcy. We deal with the concerned minister (in a state) and we deal with the chief minister.
If I turn around and say that I am ready, that is only after consultations with states. I would not announce commencement without taking states on board. Look at the case of West Bengal, which was hit by cyclones. We did not start the flights on the same day as other states and flights to the state started today (Thursday). Telangana also started flights a day later than the other states.
Several states have also come up with quarantine requirements, which create an uncertainty for flyers who would like to take a short visit. Are you speaking to states in this regard?
We are constantly speaking to states and some have relaxed their quarantine requirements too … I fully understand their concerns, when they have to balance their internal health requirements and work towards opening up their economy. We would like the states to follow the guidelines issued by the union health ministry on the issue. (Guidelines require passengers to follow social distancing and allow home quarantine for asymptomatic passengers. Symptomatic passengers will have the option of isolating themselves at home or at a government-certified centre. The interview took place before Karnataka announced restriction on the number of flights from five states)
Are you satisfied with the first few days of operations? Do you expect it will continue and will be sustainable?
Airlines operated 460 departures by midnight on Wednesday and carried 34,226 passengers and those number are set to increase further today (Thursday), as flight connections to West Bengal also started. Some positive cases were detected in a few flights and questions are being raised about safety. Let me tell you, airflow in airplanes are designed in a way that the chances of the spread of virus are the least. I say that these Covid-positive passengers were detected because we have the right systems in place and they are functioning efficiently.

Do you see the Covid-19 situation impacting the government’s plans to divest a stake in Air India?
I would not like to talk much on Air India, as the process is currently under way. We have only delayed the process by two months. And we have to slow the process … I think the AI divestment will become a more attractive proposition after this, because they have access and routes.

Are you satisfied with the operations of Vande Bharat flights?
In the first week, we brought back about 64 flights and about 13,000 people. In the second one, we have doubled it, you know, we have taken a total of 30,000 or so (people back). In the next phase up to 16 June, we will be bringing back many more than that — in the range of 50,000 Indians.