Delhi Airport resumes ops but with a difference: PPE kiosks, sanitising carpets & more

The clunking sound of trolleys being wheeled around, the beeping sound of a ticket kiosk, familiar noise of aircraft taking off – all were missing for over sixty-two days. On Monday, however, as domestic operations resume, a frequent flyer will experience all these but with a difference. A flyer at Delhi International Airport will hear constant announcements to maintain social distance, will witness the emergence of shops selling masks, sanitizer, and face shield, also will have to go through various thermal screenings and sanitization process to enter the airport. 

With a sigh of relief, a college student traveling to Manipur recounted, “My exams were over. I was stuck in my paying guest house, and desperately wanted to visit home to see my parents. I was alone, as my friends had luckily left for their respective homes before lockdown. I was scared in these last few months. Today I don’t mind the extra hours at the airport as I'm relieved to go back home."

Read: Coronavirus Live Updates: Domestic & intl travel guidelines issued; cases at 1,31,868

Protocols at Delhi airport

At terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport, as one steps out of their private or public conveyance, one will notice volunteers holding placards to direct them to gates assigned to different airlines to avoid the commotion. They will have to show the status of Aarogya Setu application or fill up information on a declaration form and then proceed to sanitize luggage. After the security check, along with thermal screenings, one will have to walk on carpets placed at the entry gate which are soaked in the sanitizer, so that the sole of your shoe gets sanitized. All these procedures are being directed by volunteers hired by DIAL. 

Read: Two new containment zones identified in Delhi, seven de-contained

'It was a difficult period'

Man Singh Tamang had come to Delhi in march for his brother’s medical treatment and was stuck in a hotel owing to lockdown. When asked about flying back, he laughed and said,” I am the happiest today, we were stuck inside a hotel room, it was getting expensive to stay any further, no concession was also given to us. We earnestly wanted to head back to Srinagar. We weren’t prepared, we drained our cash reserve, it was a difficult period. My brother had a blood clot in his head, that got cured thankfully."

With a smile on their face and a sense of the freedom of mobility after months, passengers seem happy to limp, or rather soar, back to normalcy.

Read: Delhi govt directs pvt hospitals to reserve 20 pc beds for COVID-19 patients; No mandatory quarantine for asymptomatic air passengers

Read: Delhi's 117 private hospitals with 50+ beds to reserve 20% capacity for COVID-19 cases