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…
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Holiday turns to heartbreak: 7 years after husband's death, Thane woman loses 3 kids in road crash
_vb_35.jpeg)
Thane (PTI): "Mom, we will be back in two or three days," were the final words three siblings uttered to their mother before leaving their residence in Diva town of Thane district for a short holiday at a relative's place.
Hours later, those words returned to haunt a devastated mother as the news of their deaths in a horrific road accident on Monday morning shattered her world forever.
The siblings, Sneha Mohape (22), Manasi (20), and their brother Prathamesh (17), were among the 11 people who were killed in a head-on collision between a van packed with passengers and a cement mixer truck on a newly constructed bridge over the Ulhas River near Raite village under Kalyan taluka.
The tragedy has wiped out the entire support system of Anjana Mohape, a single mother who had been raising her children with grit and determination since her husband's death seven years ago.
Working as a domestic help, Anjana had ensured her children pursued their education, hoping they would soon stand on their own feet and lift the family out of financial hardship.
"She lived for them. After losing her husband, these three were her only reason to keep going," said Nathu Mohape, a family member.
"They were bright children with dreams of helping their mother. Now, everything is gone in an instant," said the distraught family member.
The siblings were headed to their uncle's house in Panhe village under Murbad taluka of the district to spend their college holiday.
The accident was so severe that the van was reduced to a heap of metal, leaving no room for survival for the Mohape trio.
The last rites of the three siblings will be performed in their native village, family sources said.
While local residents rushed to the spot to initiate a rescue operation, the impact had already claimed the lives of nearly a dozen passengers.
The crash has sparked fresh outrage among locals regarding heavy vehicles on the Kalyan-Ahilyanagar National Highway.
Residents alleged that lorries, mixer and dumper trucks engaged in construction work frequently violate speed limits and safety norms on the highway.
_vb_44.jpeg)
 (3)_vb_24.jpeg)