China Eastern launches Shanghai-Delhi flight with near full capacity
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Beijing (PTI): China Eastern Airlines started its Shanghai-Delhi service on Sunday with a 95 per cent occupancy, becoming the first mainland Chinese carrier this year to resume direct flights to India after a gap of five years.
Flight MU563, carrying 248 passengers, departed from Shanghai Pudong International Airport for Delhi, the state-run Global Times reported.
Indian airline IndiGo will begin its daily Delhi-Guangzhou service from November 10.
China Eastern becomes the first Chinese mainland-based airline in 2025 to resume direct passenger flights between China and India, the report said, adding that the Shanghai-Delhi flight achieved a load factor of over 95 per cent.
The Shanghai-Delhi route is considered a key corridor linking two major economic centres and is expected to boost exchanges in trade, economy and culture, the report said.
Flights between India and the Chinese mainland resumed on October 26 when an IndiGo aircraft landed at Guangzhou in Guangdong province from Kolkata, ending a hiatus that began with the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Services were not restored due to the military standoff between the two countries in eastern Ladakh, which ended in October last year.
China Eastern's Shanghai Pudong-Delhi route, operated by an Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft, will run three times a week on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The airline said it plans to increase frequencies based on market demand and also aims to resume the Kunming-Kolkata service and launch a new Shanghai-Mumbai route.
Bilateral relations between Indian and China hit their lowest point since the 1962 war after the Galwan Valley clashes in June 2020. Following several rounds of diplomatic and military talks, the two sides withdrew troops from various friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
A disengagement pact for Depsang and Demchok, the last two friction points, was finalised in October last year.
Days after the agreement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Kazan, Russia, and decided on steps to stabilise bilateral ties.
In recent months, the two sides have taken a series of measures to rebuild engagement, including resuming the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and restoring flight services.
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Delhi Police busts LPG black marketing racket in Bawana, 75 cylinders seized; 1 held
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Police has busted an LPG cylinder hoarding and black marketing racket in the Bawana area, an officer said on Friday.
A 50-year-old man, identified as Anil, has been arrested and 75 cylinders seized, he said.
The accused was apprehended following a tip-off about the illegal storage and transportation of LPG cylinders in the industrial area.
Acting on the input, a police team laid a picket near District Park in Bawana on Thursday evening. Around 4 pm, a pickup truck was intercepted and checked, leading to the recovery of 27 LPG cylinders, including both domestic and commercial units.
"When questioned, the accused failed to produce any valid documents, including a licence, permit, stock register or proof of ownership for the cylinders," the officer said.
During interrogation, Anil revealed that more cylinders were stored at nearby premises. Based on his disclosure, police raided two rooms and an iron shed near a factory in the area.
"A total of 48 additional cylinders were recovered, taking the overall seizure to 75. The cylinders were stored without safety measures or legal authorisation, posing a serious risk," the officer said.
Disruptions in maritime supply routes through the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing US-Israel and Iran conflict have caused an LPG crisis in India.
