Mangaluru: AK Corporate Cricket Bash from Nov 23

Mangaluru, May 23: Domestic flight services will resume from Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) from May 25 as per the instructions of Union Civil Aviation Ministry. Six Indigo and SpiceJet flights will be operated from Mangaluru to Bengaluru, Mumbai and Chennai.

Air-India is yet to finalise its schedule, airport sources said. Three Indigo flights will depart from Mangaluru to Bengaluru, Mumbai and Chennai and three flights of SpiceJet will leave for Bengaluru and Mumbai on May 25.

SpiceJet flight will take off from Bengaluru to Mangaluru at 8.30 am and7 pm while Indigo will take off from Mangaluru to Bengaluru at 5.55 pm. SpiceJet flight will take off from Mangaluru at 10.20 am and 9.35 pm while Indigo will depart at 7.30 pm.

From Mumbai, Spice Jet flight will take off at 7.05 am and Indigo at 9.30 am. The Mangaluru-Mumbai SpiceJet flight will take off at 9.05 am and Indigo at 11.40 am. Indigo flight will depart from Chennai to Mangaluru at 5.45 pm and from Mangaluru to Chennai at 8.05 am.

The Indian government has advised expats in the UAE and the Gulf against travel till flight curbs to their home country are lifted. This follows the clamour from some quarters for special repatriation flights to India.

A senior Indian External Affairs Ministry (foreign ministry) official said Indian citizens are safe in the countries they reside in. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken to leaders of Gulf countries who assured him of their welfare, the Indian foreign ministry said. Meanwhile, the Minister of State for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan,, according to a Malayalam news report, also ruled out special flights.

Responding to a question from Khaleej Times on blue-collar workers' angst following job losses, Vikas Swarup, Secretary West in the foreign ministry said, "Insofar as repatriation is concerned, as you are aware, government has advised against all travel, and Indians have been told to stay where they are, As and when the (21-day) lockdown is lifted, and normal civil aviation resumes, Indians wishing to come back will be able to do so."

According to the latest data from the Indian foreign affairs ministry, there are 1,400 cases of Covid-19 infections among Indian expats in the Gulf region.

Swarup said infected Indians are being treated and kept in isolation in the UAE and Gulf. "Our missions have established contact with all the community leaders and the situation is under control," he said.

Cargo flights operating as usual  

Cargo flights carrying fruits and vegetables from India to the Gulf have not been disrupted and would continue as usual, the diplomat said. "We are also helping with medicines based on the requests of Gulf countries," he said.

Eight million India expats live in the Gulf, including close to three million in the UAE. They account for more than 60 per cent of remittances to their home country.

India's long lockdown of 21 says ends next Tuesday. Indications are that it could be extended. Some states like Orissa have already stretched it till the end of the month and others are expected to follow suit.

The government believes that the disease is now concentrated in 75 districts, and the focus should be on these areas to manage and contain the virus.

Kalaburagi, Mar 14: Utter negligence of Kalaburagi health department officials was one of the main reasons for the death of his father, alleged family member of Kalaburagi man and India's first COVID-19 victim here on Friday.

The victim's son said 'if officials of Kalaburagi health department had advised us to admit his father in isolated ward, which was opened in Gulbarga Institute of Medical science (GIMS), my father's survival time may have been extended,' he said.