TN not in favour of resumption of air services from May 25

Tamil Nadu government is understood to have asked the Centre to reconsider resuming domestic air services to and from airports in the state from May 25. It has asked the Centre to wait till May 31 for resuming air traffic from airports in the state.

Sources said the government has expressed its inability to find quarantine facilities for passengers coming by aircraft and hence it has asked the Centre to put off the measure by the end of May. So far, the state has had 10 aircraft landing in two airports carrying passengers stranded in various countries and 62 of them have tested positive. Besides, 584 people, who arrived from various states across the country through trains and their own vehicles, have tested positive for COVID-19.

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Health Minister C Vijayabhaskar had on Thursday said handling passengers who come from abroad and other states is a major challenge for the state which is battling over 14,700 Coronavirus cases.

The state government has been asking the Centre not to resume regular air and train services to and from Chennai, which has over 9,000 cases, till May 31.

Sources at the Chennai airport said they were prepared to resume air services from May 25. “We understand that the Tamil Nadu government is against the resumption of air services to and from Chennai. But we have no official confirmation on this count. Nevertheless, we are ready to resume operations at the airport,” a senior official said.

Meanwhile, the state government allowed autos across the state, except in Chennai Police limits, to ply from 7 am to 7 pm from Saturday.