Imphal Airport Goes the Extra Mile: Flights Operate 24/7 for Evacuation Amid Manipur Violence

The Imphal airport has implemented a series of measures to ensure smooth passenger movement following the recent unrest in Manipur, as announced by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

The airline has extended flight operations to operate round-the-clock to accommodate the increased demand. Additionally, the authorities have set up a Help Desk Counter at the city side canopy equipped with an AAI LAN Internet facility. This allows passengers to conveniently print their tickets, considering that internet services are currently suspended in Manipur.

According to the AAI, they have successfully managed a total of 108 flight movements until May 6th. Among these, 50 were Defense movements, and they accommodated an additional six flights. Notably, the airport has handled a significant number of air passengers, totaling 10,531 individuals, until May 6th.

AAI has announced that it is providing food and snacks to stranded passengers. Additionally, AAI-operated snack counters are offering a variety of food items such as cold drinks, water, biscuits, cup noodles, and more, all available to passengers at market rates.

The Airports Authority, in collaboration with the State government, is ensuring the safe transportation of stranded passengers with proper escort services.

According to a statement released by the Indian Army on Sunday, the Indian Army and Assam Rifles deployed to control the violence in Manipur, have successfully rescued nearly 23,000 civilians and relocated them to operating bases.

In response to the unrest in the state, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh held a meeting with representatives of the ‘Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI)’. The Chief Minister shared this information via a tweet.

Imphal Airport

Various political parties, including Congress, NPF, NPP, CPI(M), Aam Aadmi Party, and Shiv Sena, attended the meeting chaired by Chief Minister Biren Singh himself.

The meeting took place in response to the violence that broke out shortly after inter-community clashes in certain districts of the northeastern state. The clashes occurred as a result of protests against the decision to include the Meitei community, which forms the majority, in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category.

To address the situation, the Manipur government requested the assistance of the Army and Assam Rifles on May 3 and 4. The Director General of Police (DGP) of the state, P Doungel, has confirmed that the intervention of the security forces has led to an improvement in the state’s condition.

According to the Manipur DGP, they have deployed various forces, including the Rapid Action Force (RAF), Border Security Force (BSF), and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), in Manipur. The authorities have appointed Kuldeep Singh, the CRPF chief, as the security advisor as a security measure.

Additionally, the State government has assigned Ashutosh Sinha, the Additional Director-General of Police (Intelligence), as the overall operational commander responsible for managing the situation in Manipur.

On a related note, the Army released a statement on Friday, stating that the coordinated efforts of all parties involved have successfully brought the situation in Manipur under control.

To summarize, violent incidents occurred immediately after inter-community clashes in specific districts of the northeastern State. These clashes were a response to protests against the inclusion of the Meitei community, which constitutes the majority, in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category.

Also Read: Indian Aviation News 

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