Maharashtra govt says no to resuming flight operations

Even as the Centre plans resumption of domestic flights from May 25, a Maharashtra government official on Saturday said the state had not yet amended its May 19 lockdown order which allowed only certain kinds of flights.

As per the May 19 order of the state government extending the coronavirus-induced lockdown to May 31, all domestic and international air travel of passengers, except for domestic medical services, domestic air ambulance and for security purposes as permitted by ministry of home affairs, will continue to remain prohibited across the state.

"We have not yet amended this lockdown order issued on May 19," an official said when queried about resumption of passenger flights in Maharashtra.

Earlier in the day, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, during a Facebook live session, said India will try to restart a good percentage of international passenger flights before August.

All scheduled commercial passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 25 when the lockdown was announced.