NRIs who missed Eid prayers stage protest after Dubai-Mangaluru flight diverted to Kochi

coastaldigest.com news network

June 16, 2018

Mangaluru, Jun 16: Dozens of Mangalurean passengers on board Air India Express (AIE) 814 Dubai-Mangaluru flight resorted to protest at Cochin International Airport (CIA) where they were taken yesterday morning due to bad weather in the coastal city.

The flight that was supposed to land at the Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) at 4.45am. Most of the passengers were Muslims who had planned to offer Eid-ul-Fitr prayers in Mangaluru and celebrated the festival with their family members on Friday. Congregational Eid prayers will be offered in mosques and Eidgahs of Mangaluru between 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.

However, to the disappointment of the passengers, the flight landed at CIA at around 5.55 am. Even as the AIE staff was making arrangements to take the flight back to Mangaluru, a section of passengers became furious and questioned the authorities of the diversion and delay. They also held protest and shouted slogan against the authorities inside the airport. Though the AIE authorities offered breakfast and other facilities inside the airport, passengers continued their protest near the runway.

The passengers alleged the ground unit, powering the air-conditioning system of aircraft, was switched off making it very difficult for them to sit inside the flight. However, the AIE authorities denied this allegation.

“They told us the flight will be takeoff from Kochi within one hour after another captain arrives. In the meantime, the air conditioning inside the flight was switched off. After the protest, we were made to wait at the runway area in buses,” a passenger was quoted as saying by a news channel.

According to AIE Chief of Airport Services Aby George, the flight was diverted since it was raining heavily in Mangaluru and the visibility was very poor. “We could not land the flight in MIA and the commander diverted it to CIA. We are operating in regulated conditions of DGCA. Once the flight landed in CIA, the weather did not improve and by then the duty hours of the crew on board was over. We cannot make that commander to operate the flight again as per rules. So we had to bring another set of crew from Thiruvananthapuram,” he said.

“We told the passengers that we are planning 9.30am departure. Though we tried to convince the passengers about the bad weather, they protested,” he complained.

Comments

Flights are always like that. They should give compensation

Unwanted issue. THey used to offer namz evreywhere. If they want they can do that in that situation also. Simply messing up authorities

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Karnataka CM holds meeting with Union Health Ministry officials in Bengaluru

News Network

July 7,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 7: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday held a meeting with a team of officials from the Union Health Ministry in Bengaluru in view of COVID-19 pandemic.

The team of Union Health Ministry officials praised the state's COVID-19 management measures.

Arti Ahuja, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health, EMR director Ravindran met the Chief Minister during a two-day visit to the state. The team praised the State Government's efforts to gather information and identify co-morbid figures for the control of COVID-19.

During the meeting, it was discussed that in the following days, priority should be given to prevent death from COVID-19 and to provide adequate treatment for symptomatic infections.

In addition, Central team officials suggested that the COVID-19 guidelines should be followed in containment zones.

Officials informed about the steps being taken to treat COVID infected people in the state and stated that the High Flow Oxygen System is being implemented in all district hospitals and taluk hospitals in the state. The process will be completed by August 15.

Health Minister B. Sriramulu, Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar, Chief Secretary to Government Vijayabhaskar and other senior officials were present during the meeting.

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South Western Railway gearing to turn 300 coaches into isolation wards, quarantine hubs

News Network

March 31,2020

Hubballi, Mar 31: In a bid to increase the country's capacity for isolation facilities, the Railways is converting sleeper class coaches into isolation wards by modifying the coaches as per prototype issued by Railway Board to make them suitable to act as quarantine hubs. On South Western Railway (SWR) a total of 312 coaches will be converted for isolation/quarantine wards.

"The coaches will be equipped with basic facilities needed as per medical guidelines. Provision is being made for charging points of mobiles and laptops. Mosquito nets with space for paramedics etc are also being made available. Each coach will provide 8 berth cabin for isolation facility.

Zonal Railways have been advised to prepare coaches as per isolation cabin prototype to meet the needs of the patients by Railway Board," a press statement of SWR reads.

The efforts of Indian Railways have been aimed not only to supplement the present health infrastructure of the nation but also to contribute to national efforts to fight the coronavirus.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of coronavirus cases in the country stand at 1,251.

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London to Kolkata bus service? Yes, it’s real! Viral pics of 1957 make netizens curious

coastaldigest.com web desk

July 2,2020

When the black and white photos of the ‘London to Calcutta (Kolkata) bus service’ went viral on social media recently, the response of some of the netizens was “stop spreading fake news!” But, it isn’t a fake news. The late 1950s indeed offered people a lavish bus trip from London to Kolkata.

While one of the viral images shows passengers at the Victoria Coach Station, London, boarding 'Albert', the other image show the same bus travelling through a valley. In another image the bus is stationed at a tourist spot. All these photos were captured during the bus’ maiden international journey in 1957.

An image of the bus ticket is also making rounds on social media, that shows the route of the bus — London, Belgium, West Germany, Austria,Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, West Pakistan, India. The route in India followed Delhi, Agra, Allahabad, Banaras and finally Calcutta.

The ticket shows that a one side travel cost 145 pounds (13,644 Rupees at the present day) back then, and it was inclusive of all the luxury provided during the run.

The luxurious bus provided the facilities of reading, individual sleeping bunks, radio/taped music for parties and pleasure and fan heaters, among other things. The brochure reads, "Your complete home while you travel."

Some of the tour highlights included Banaras on the Ganges, The Taj Mahal, The Raj Path, The Rhine Valley and The Peacock Throne. Passengers reportedly got free shopping days in New Delhi, Tehran, Salzburg, Kabul, Istanbul and Vienna.