Domestic air travel which was closed for a considerable time due to the Covid-19 pandemic is now gradually picking pace. With the Indian Airlines starting the Dehradun-Pantnagar and Pantnagar-Dehradun flights, the number of passengers has also seen a rise. The passengers are facing some inconvenience due to the seven day institutional quarantine in hotels followed by seven day home quarantine. Despite this, a number of people are taking the advantage of resumption of domestic air travel.
The Pantnagar airport director SK Singh informed that the directions issued by the Government of India are being followed strictly at the Pantnagar airport. The regulations issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and health directorate are also being observed. In addition to this, the airport is being sanitised consistently using modern machines. On the other hand, the outbound and inbound passengers are also being sanitised using machines and made to observe social distancing.
Singh informed that on Sunday, the flight from Pantnagar to Dehradun, IA 824 was boarded by a total of 14 passengers. Before the passengers boarded, they were administered a health check and provided specific information related to Covid-19. Some of those travelling by this flight- Mamta Mudgal, Deepa Arya, Archana Uniyal and Harshit Gadiya said that travelers had experienced considerable relief with the resumption of Dehradun-Delhi and Dehradun-Pantnagar air service. Travelling by air enables them to reach Dehradun from Pantnagar in less than an hour, which is appreciable, opined the passengers.