Kolkata: The passenger flight services at Kolkata airport will remain suspended on Saturday and Wednesday when the bi-weekly lockdown will be imposed across the state to stem the hike in COVID-19 cases. However, there will be no restriction on Cargo operations.
The state government has decided to impose lockdown on two days every week till August end when all shops, markets, government and private offices will remain closed. At the same time, public and private transport will also remain off the road.
Sources said that the state government also does not want the flight operation to take place on these days. Accordingly, the state government requested the Centre to keep flight operations at Kolkata airport suspended. The Centre has given its nod in this regard.
Later in the evening, the Kolkata airport authorities tweeted: "In view of comprehensive lockdown announced in West Bengal, flight operations at Kolkata Airport will remain suspended on July 25 and 29. The temporary restriction, on request of the state government, is to restrict movement during lockdown to contain spread of COVID-19."
According to the sources at the Kolkata Airport, 41 flights landed and 43 flights took off on Thursday. Around the same number of flights were supposed to operate on Saturday as well. The same will remain cancelled now.
Sources also said that the flight operations in Kolkata, though it has not been finalised yet, may remain suspended on all the days when complete lockdown will be imposed in the state.
Earlier, the restriction was imposed on operation of flights between Kolkata and 6 cities — Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Nagpur and Ahmedabad — with high prevalence of COVID-19 till July 31.