Airfare caps should be in force till duopoly in airline sector remains: Chidambaram
New Delhi (PTI): After the government introduced airfare caps in the wake of IndiGo flight disruptions, Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday said the Ministry of Civil Aviation has finally woken up and demanded that such price containment should remain in force till a duopoly in the airline sector exists.
The disruptions in IndiGo's operations resulted in hundreds of flight cancellations and delays in the last few days, causing hardships to thousands of passengers across the country.
In a post on X, the former finance minister said, "I am glad that the Ministry of Civil Aviation has woken up at last and capped the Economy Class fares".
"As long the duopoly in the airline sector remains, caps on Economy Class fares must remain in force
"Absent robust competition, the only way to protect public interest is price containment. The overwhelming majority of the passengers must be protected (sic)," Chidambaram said.
He earlier said that the meltdown of Indigo operations and the chaos in airports throughout the country point to a massive failure of the Management of Indigo, the Ministry of Civil Aviation, DGCA and the whole government.
Noting that the new pilot duty time rules were notified in January 2024, Chidambaram said, "Yet, over the past 23 months, the government failed to guide the airline to adapt its operations to the new Rules. The MoCA and DGCA are squarely responsible."
"When the crisis started and escalated, the government was clueless and helpless, and eventually capitulated," the Congress leader alleged.
The ministry on Friday suspended implementation of new flight duty time limitation (FDTL) rules following the crisis.
In the two-page order on capping the airfares, the ministry said on Saturday that disruptions in flight operations of one of the scheduled airlines has resulted in flight cancellations, leading to capacity constraints and an unreasonable surge in the fares on a number of sectors.
The airline operated more flights on Saturday at around 1,500, against about 800 cancellations.
IndiGo is operating 1,650 flights of its 2,300 daily domestic and international flights on Sunday, and 650 remain cancelled for the day, amid the airline's operations gradually stabilising after massive disruptions in the last five days, the airline said.
I am glad that the Ministry of Civil Aviation has woken up at last and capped the Economy Class fares
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) December 7, 2025
As long the duopoly in the airline sector remains, caps on Economy Class fares must remain in force
Absent robust competition, the only way to protect public interest is price…
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Thumbay Group begins work on Sharjah’s first private integrated psychiatric, rehabilitation hospital
Sharjah: Thumbay Group has laid the foundation stone for the Thumbay Psychiatric and Rehabilitation Hospital at Sharjah Healthcare City, a 120-bed facility that the company says will be the region’s first private, fully integrated hospital dedicated to psychiatric care, neuro-rehabilitation and addiction recovery.
The groundbreaking ceremony was led by Dr. Abdelaziz Saeed Al Mheiri, who is also a member of the Sharjah Executive Council, in the presence of Dr. Thumbay Moideen.
Spread across 110,000 square feet, the hospital is being developed to address growing demand for specialised mental health and rehabilitation services in the UAE and the wider Gulf region.
The facility will include inpatient and outpatient services in psychiatry, neuro-rehabilitation, addiction treatment, child and adolescent mental health, and care for mood and anxiety disorders. It will also feature VIP inpatient villas designed to provide privacy and support long-term recovery.
A mosque, named the Thumbay Masjid, will be constructed within the campus and will be open to the public.
The hospital is being designed to meet standards for Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), an internationally recognised accreditation system for rehabilitation facilities.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Abdelaziz Saeed Al Mheiri said the project reflects Sharjah’s commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure in all aspects of wellbeing.
“Mental health and rehabilitation have long needed dedicated infrastructure, and we are proud to support a private partner whose vision matches the ambition of this Emirate,” he said.
Dr. Thumbay Moideen said the project was a response to a growing need for specialised mental healthcare services in the region.
“We have spent over three decades building healthcare in this region, and the one conversation that has grown louder every year is mental health. Families have been carrying this quietly for too long. This hospital is our answer. It is purpose-built, not retrofitted, and it has been designed around dignity, recovery, and outcomes that families can trust,” he said.
Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2026, and the hospital is expected to become operational by mid-2027.
Once completed, the facility will become part of Thumbay Group’s network of healthcare, education and diagnostic institutions across the UAE.
