Lifeline Udan: Over 218 flights transport 377 tonnes of medical supplies across country

In the wake of the Coronavirus crisis, over 218 flights have transported around 377.50 tonnes of medical supplies across the country till April 12 under the 'Lifeline Udan' initiative. Taking to Twitter, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri stated that the medical supplies have been transported to the remote parts of the country. He further lauded the officers and professionals involved in this initiative. 

About the flights

According to reports, all the flights involved in the initiative are operated by Air India, Alliance Air, Indian Air Force (IAF), and other private carriers. Reportedly, out of the total 218 flights, 132 flights were operated by Air India and Alliance Air. As per the Centre, the special focus of the initiative has been on the North East Region, island territories and the hill states.

Meanwhile, Spice Jet has operated 300 cargo flights from March 24 to April 12, out of which 95 were international cargo flights. Along with it, Blue Dart operated 94 domestic cargo flights from March 25 to April 12, while Indigo operated  25 cargo flights from April 3-12 carrying 21.77 tonnes of cargo.

Read: Google introduces new features to prevent spread of misinformation on COVID-19 pandemic

Lifeline Udan initiative

As a part of India's fight against the Novel Coronavirus crisis, the Civil Aviation Ministry on March 26 had launched the 'Lifeline Udan' initiative for transporting medical and essential supplies across the country. The flights connect hubs in locations such as Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Agartala, Aizwal, Dimapur, Imphal, Coimbatore, Thiruvanthapuram, Bhubaneswar, Raipur, Ranchi, Port Blair and Goa.

Read: Delhi transport dept provides alternative website after heavy traffic for assistance

The Lifeline Udan cargo includes COVID-19 related reagents, enzymes, medical equipment, testing kits, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), masks, gloves and other accessories required by the coronavirus warriors across the country. 

Read: COVID-19: Delhi reports 356 new cases; over 90% of which are Markaz attendees

Read: Shillong doctor becomes Meghalaya's first COVID-19 patient; authorities impose curfew