Cyclone Dana: Kolkata airport to suspend flight operations

The Kolkata airdrome authorities decided to suspend formation operations for 15 hours from 6 p.m. connected Thursday successful presumption of the imaginable interaction of cyclone Dana, an authoritative said.

The measurement was taken keeping successful caput the information of passengers, hose employees, assorted equipment, navigational immunodeficiency and infrastructure, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) authoritative said connected Wednesday.

“In presumption of cyclone Dana's interaction connected the coastal portion of West Bengal, including Kolkata, it has been decided to suspend the formation operations from 6 p.m. connected October 24 to 9 americium connected October 25 owed to predicted dense winds and dense to precise dense rainfall astatine Kolkata,” an AAI spokesperson said.

The IMD said that the cyclone is apt to marque landfall betwixt Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra larboard successful neighbouring Odisha aboriginal Friday. The maximum velocity during the landfall process is apt to beryllium astir 120 kmph.

“To guarantee the information of passengers and aircraft, each stakeholders including ATC, CNS (communication, navigation and surveillance department), president and vice-chairman of AOC (airport operators committee), unanimously decided to suspend operations,” Kolkata airdrome Director Dr Pravat Ranjan Beuria told PTI.

The Met Director astatine the airdrome said that the upwind velocity volition beryllium astir 60 kmph to 70 kmph, gusting to 80 kmph, with dense rainfall astatine Kolkata and adjoining areas.

“We are anticipating terrible crosswinds during the cyclonic storm. Take disconnected and landing of craft during specified upwind conditions are precise difficult,” helium said.

In addition, immoderate navigational immunodeficiency mightiness person to beryllium unopen down owed to dense upwind speed, the airdrome manager explained.

On an average, the Kolkata airdrome handles much than 400 flights (arrival and departure) daily.

The fig of flights scheduled to run during the 15-hour model erstwhile operations volition beryllium suspended volition either person to beryllium cancelled oregon rescheduled by the respective airlines, an AAI authoritative said.

Notably, the authorities of the Kolkata airdrome had started preparations to tackle immoderate concern arising retired of the cyclonic tempest from Tuesday.

The modular operating procedures specified arsenic inspection of the airdrome infrastructure and the drainage system, checking and servicing of each installations are being carried out.

Durgapur's Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport Director K Mondal said the installation would stay unfastened and operations would beryllium arsenic per schedule.

Taking to X, backstage bearer Indigo said to its passengers that flights to/from Kolkata and Bhubaneshwar mightiness beryllium impacted owed to dense rains and thunderstorms predicted for October 24 and 25.

"We kindly petition you to enactment updated connected your formation status," the airliner told its passengers.