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Passenger traffic picks up pace at Mumbai airport ahead of festive season

With the festive season just around the corner and with countries across the globe easing down travel restrictions, August witnessed a surge in the number of passengers travelling through Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International airport (CSMIA). “Over 1.5 million passengers have flown in and out of CSMIA in the month of August, in comparison to 4 lakh passengers who travelled in August 2020. Working tirelessly through the pandemic, the airport has been constantly striving to provide uninterrupted connectivity to travellers while creating a haven for its passengers and personnel. Amid festive season, CSMIA played host to a total of approximately 15,87,150 passengers with flights across domestic and international destinations in the month of August. In this month, the airport has catered to approximately 14,02,369 domestic passengers and 1,84,787 flew international locations,” an airport official said. “About 7,85,479 passengers arrived at CSMIA in the month of August, while 8,01,677 passengers departed from CSMIA to various domestic and international destinations. CSMIA registered Delhi, Bangalore and Goa emerging as the most travelled domestic destinations from CSMIA with 2,42,085, 1,11,026 and 95,089 passengers respectively. While Doha emerged as the top international destination with approximately 41,410 passengers to and from CSMIA. This was followed by Dubai and Male with 37,126 and 18,190 passengers respectively, travelling internationally from Mumbai. Indigo, Air India and Vistara carried the highest number of passengers on domestic routes while Qatar Airways, Indigo and Air India catered to the majority of passengers internationally,” the official added.

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IRCTC Ganesh Chaturthi Trains: Indian Railways to run 261 fully reserved Ganpati Specials with special fare

The Central Railway zone will run 201 Ganapati Specials, the Western Railway zone will run 42 Ganapati Specials, and Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) will run 18 Ganapati Special Trains. For the comfort and convenience of Indian Railways passengers during the upcoming festival of Ganesh Chathurthi and to clear the extra rush of travelers during the festive season, the national transporter will run 261 Ganapati Special trains to various destinations across the country. These Ganapati Festival Special Trains will run on Special Fare. According to the Railway Ministry, the Central Railway zone will run 201 Ganapati Specials, the Western Railway zone will run 42 Ganapati Specials, and Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) will run 18 Ganapati Special Trains. These Special Trains services have been started already from the last week of August and shall run till 20 September 2021. Also, to clear the passengers, rush Sleeper class coaches are augmented in various trains originating from the city of Mumbai. Meanwhile, the Railway Ministry said that passengers may please visit the website- www.enquiry.indianrail.gov.in for detailed information regarding train timings and their halts. The national transporter will only allow those with confirmed tickets to board these special trains. All passengers are requested by Indian Railways to adhere to all COVID-19 related norms, SOPs, during travelling, boarding and at the destination.

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Bali Opens Tourism on Trial Basis amid Covid-19 Restriction

Bali regional government has begun to relax a number of restrictions related to tourism amid the extended Covid-19 restriction policy, or level 4 PPKM. Governor Wayan Koster allows tourist attractions to reopen on a trial basis with a visitor capacity of 50 percent. “By implementing strict procedures and using the PeduliLindung application for natural, cultural, artificial and spiritual tourist attractions,” he said in his statement, Tuesday, September 7. The issuance was based on the Instruction of the Minister of Home Affairs Number 39 of 2021 concerning PPKM Level 4, Level 3 and Level 2 of COVID-19 in the Java and Bali regions. People entering the malls are required to use the PeduliLindung application and must be fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, high-risk community groups such as pregnant women, residents aged under 12 years and over 70 years are not allowed to enter the mall. Shopping centers/malls/trade centers are allowed to operate with a 50 percent visitor capacity until 21:00 local time, said Koster. Restaurants and cafes inside malls are allowed for on-site dining with a maximum capacity of 25 percent and a maximum meal time of 30 minutes. “Theatres, children’s playgrounds and entertainment venues in shopping centers and malls are closed,” said the Bali Governor. As for air transportation, travellers must show negative results of Covid-19 antigen test (D-1) and received complete vaccination. Meanwhile, travelers who have just received the first dose of the vaccine must have a negative PCR test result.

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Udaipur records maximum tourist footfall in 10 years: Rajasthan Govt

Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic Udaipur has recorded maximum tourist footfall in 10 years, said Principal Secretary of Rajasthan Tourism Gayatri Rathore. "At a time when tourism has been the worst-affected sector amid COVID, things have improved here. In fact, better than in previous years. Udaipur (/topic/udaipur) has recorded maximum tourist footfall in 10 years. Occupancy rate (in hotels) has gone up," said Rathore. She said the state had become a monsoon getaway and de-stressing point in COVID times. "On weekends, popular destinations bordering other states see packed hotel rooms. We are trying to make things as feasible as possible for tourists with options like 'workcation' and 'staycation' with basic infrastructure and internet connectivity," the Principal Secretary said. "We are trying to connect with intangible culture heritage activities in those areas, we are also promoting rural and experiential tourism. The government is hopeful that during the tourist season, the number of tourists will be coming to the state will be increased," he further added. Udaipur is also known by the name of 'The City of Lakes'. The city was the former capital of the erstwhile princely state of Mewar. Historical monuments and lakes dot various parts of the city.

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Coimbatore records 53% rise in air passengers

After a slump in the passenger traffic in May and June, when the second wave of Covid-19 was at its peak in the district, the city airport has bounced back to business by handling 99,000 passengers in August alone. This was a 53% increase in passenger traffic from July, when it handled 64,457 passengers. The airport had handled 96,529 domestic passengers and 2,291 international passengers last month, compared to 63,244 domestic passengers and 1,213 international passengers in July. The number of flights from the airport has also seen a sharp rise of 67% in August. However, the numbers, be they of passenger traffic or flights, are nowhere near the pre-Covid times. In August 2019, the airport had handled 2.32 lakh domestic passengers, 20,005 international travellers and 1,679 aircrafts. Aviation enthusiasts said they were happy to see the airport limping back to normalcy. It is to be noted that the domestic and international passenger traffic had touched a low of 23,555 and 829, respectively, in May. Travel agents said 40% of the domestic passengers had used the airport to fly to Chennai, while the remaining were headed to Mumbai, Bengaluru, New Delhi and Hyderabad. In a new trend, many guest workers too have started taking flights from the city to their native places and back. Ashish Kanted, proprietor of Ashish Travels, said presently the airport was mostly used by the business community, followed by the guest workers and leisure travellers. “Earlier, guest workers mainly used trains to commute to their hometowns and back. In the absence of trains, some of them are taking flights with the employer bearing a large chunk of the airfare. Leisure travel has also started picking up and the focus is on domestic places, as it isn’t easy to visit destinations abroad.” City airport director S Senthil Valavan said the people were more confident to fly now as the Airport Authority of India had put in place all the safety protocols. “All the airport employees have taken the first dose of vaccine and many of them are fully vaccinated. We have a swab collection facility for Covid-19 testing as well for the convenience of travellers. Those travelling to Gulf countries are finding it useful.”

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Australia to have vaccine passport system ready within weeks for international travel

The Morrison government will have a system in place within weeks to support the resumption of international travel as vaccination rates rise, the trade minister, Dan Tehan, says. With senior federal ministers meeting on Wednesday to continue work around vaccine passports, Tehan told reporters the resumption of international travel would require “a system that can enable recognition of vaccination – a vaccination certification scheme”. “We’re in the process of planning that so that in the coming weeks we will have a system up and ready so when we hit that 70% or 80% vaccination mark Australians will be able to travel overseas again and also Australians will be able to return home in greater numbers,” Tehan told reporters in Canberra. “We’ll also be able to start welcoming international students, those who want to come here to work, ultimately tourists again.” The four-phase plan for reopening Australia unveiled by Scott Morrison at the end of July suggests vaccinated Australians would be able to head overseas again more freely when at least 80% of the over-16 population had been fully vaccinated. Under “Phase C” of the plan, governments would abolish caps on vaccinated Australians returning from overseas, and lift all restrictions on outbound travel for vaccinated Australians. The triggers are linked to vaccination rates rather than a fixed date, although the New South Wales premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has been signalling international travel will probably resume in the state in time for Christmas. Tehan said the government was working to develop a QR code with the International Civil Aviation Organisation so the vaccine certificates would be internationally recognised.

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