Bhubaneswar: The authorities of the Biju Patnaik International Airport here have framed a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for its operation after the lockdown is lifted, officials said.
The airport is likely to operate in a single shift after the lockdown is lifted, said BPIA director VV Rao after a meeting with stakeholders here on Thursday.
Asked whether the airport will operate immediately after lifting of the lockdown, Rao said: “We are readying things here and will operate only after getting instructions from the headquarters. We have the SOP in hands now.”
He said the BPIA will operate in a single shift from 10 am to 6 pm daily as per the guidelines of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Civil Aviation Ministry. Rao said the airport will handle 16 flights with two flights per hour.
The director said special guidelines have been made for the management of the airport keeping an eye on the COVID-19 preventive measures for passengers as well as the airport staff including CISF personnel.
There will be more washbasins in the airport for washing of hands, Rao said, adding that arrangements have been made for maintaining social distancing in the airport. The airport director, however, said he has no idea on whether social distancing will also be maintained inside the aircraft.
As lockdown is in force, the airport is now only handling limited cargo like medical emergency, refuelling and corona related flight operations.
Sources said the BPIA witnesses a footfall of about 10,000 to 11,000 passengers (both arrival and departure) per day.
Replying a question, Rao said the passenger flow at the airport is likely to come down. The capacity of the airport building was 500 persons per hour during the peak and it will come down because of social distancing.