Even as routine commercial passenger flight operations remain suspended for last seven weeks due to Covid-19 outbreak, a private cargo aircraft carrying medical essentials arrived at Srinagar International Airport on Wednesday. This is the first private airliner to arrive in Srinagar since March 25 when government of India suspended routine commercial air traffic.
Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials told GreaterKashmir that private airliner SpiceJet operated its maiden cargo flightcarrying medical and essential supplies from Delhi to Srinagar. The flight alsotravelled to Leh before touching down at Srinagar, AAI official said.
“It is a good sign that a private airline cargo aircraft hasstarted its operations to the Valley. The next cargo flight of the same airlineis scheduled for May 15,” said Santosh Dhoke, Director AAI, Srinagar Airport.However, Dhoke said construction of a dedicated cargo terminal at SrinagarAirport “has temporarily been stopped due to the lockdown owing to Covid-19”.The Airport Director added that existing terminal used to handle more than 25metric tonnes of cargo operations every day.
AAI officials said several special flights of Indian Air Force, one flight of Indian Airlines and Jammu and Kashmir government-owned aircraft have arrived at Srinagar during the lockdown period so far. “Life saving drugs worth more than Rs 90 lakh procured by Kashmir-based pharmaceutical dealers from outside companies have been airlifted to the Valley in last 7 weeks. Consignments of life saving drugs including medicines used for cancer, diabetes, renal and cardiac problems have been airlifted to the Valley with help from the IAF,” the official said. However, the SpiceJet cargo flight is the first private aircraft to arrive here since March 25.
Speaking with Greater Kashmir, Irfan Hussain Kanth,Regional Manager, North India, Sales and Operations SpiceJet Cargo said apartfrom bringing medical supplies to the Valley, the airline was keen on supplyingfruits and vegetables from the growers here.
“The peak season for harvest of cherry and plum has arrived.We are ready to export these supplies and are open for any business queriesrelated to cargo supplies,” Kanth said.
He said commencement of cargo air service by SpiceJet wasstarted keeping in view exports of delicate perishables from the Valley.”During peak harvest season, the daily export of peas from the Valley for thefood processing industry based in outside states is almost 20-30 tonnes. Thiscan be now supplied through dedicated cargo flights,” said Kanth.
Last year, SpiceJet conducted a trial run of its cargoaircraft to the Srinagar Airport with 17 tonnes of cargo from Delhi after whichit has been involved in cargo business to this region.