SC refuses urgent hearing of plea on flight cancellations by IndiGo, says govt has taken steps
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday refused to accord urgent hearing to a plea seeking judicial intervention into cancellation of hundreds of flights by IndiGo, saying the Centre has taken note of the situation and has taken steps to address it.
The top court said it was cognizant of the fact that lakhs of people are stranded at various airports.
"It is a serious matter. Lakhs of people are stranded at the airports. We know that the government of India has taken timely action and cognizance of the issue. We know people may have health issues and other important issues etc.," Chief Justice Surya Kant, who was heading a bench comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi, said.
A lawyer mentioned the issue and said there have been a lot of flight cancellations by IndiGo over the last few days and passengers are suffering.
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"The cancellations are not informed to the flyers," he said, adding that around 2,500 flights are delayed and customers are suffering at 95 airports across the country.
Over 250 IndiGo flights from Delhi and Bengaluru airports were cancelled on Monday as the disruptions of the airline's flight operations entered the seventh day, sources told PTI.
At the Delhi airport, 134 flights were cancelled -- 75 departures and 59 arrivals -- while at the Bengaluru airport, the carrier cancelled 117 services -- 65 arrivals and 62 departures.
IndiGo has been facing heat from both the government and the passengers for cancelling hundreds of flights since December 2, citing regulatory changes in the pilots' flight duty and regulations norms. The disruptions have left lakhs of passengers stranded at airports across the country.
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24 killed as bus plunges into river in B'desh, search on for missing
Dhaka, Mar 26 (PTI): At least 24 people were killed and several others remain missing after a bus plunged into a river in Bangladesh while attempting to board a transport ferry, officials said on Thursday.
The accident occurred in the southwestern district of Rajbari at the Dauladia terminal when the bus fell into the Padma River at about 5.15 pm on Wednesday, officials said.
They estimate that the Dhaka-bound bus was carrying around 40 passengers, including several children, most of whom were returning to the capital after their Eid holidays.
According to local fire service officials, 24 bodies have been recovered.
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Twenty-two bodies were recovered from inside the bus, including 11 women, six men and five children.
“(Salvage vessel) Hamza retrieved the bus with its cranes,” fire service official Sohel Rana told reporters at the scene.
He added that the divers earlier recovered bodies of two women in their late 50s or early 60s and found the others as the bus was salvaged at around Wednesday midnight after six hours of efforts amid rough weather.
Fire service and coastguard divers continued their search for the missing people with military and police assistance, according to Rana.
According to Rajbari district administration officials, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman called them for updates on the salvage campaign and ordered an investigation into the accident.
Police and witnesses earlier said about 11 passengers managed to swim ashore or were rescued, but most others remained missing.
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“When the bus was heading towards the ferry from the pontoon, another smaller utility ferry hit the pontoon. It plunged into the river as the bus driver lost control of the steering,” the terminal’s supervisor Monir Hossain said.
“Right before our eyes, the bus fell into the river, but we could do nothing,” he added.
Doctors at Dauladia Health Complex said two women were brought dead while another woman, herself a doctor, received treatment.
According to witnesses and officials, many of the passengers were members of the same family. While several of them survived as they stood outside, their relatives were on the bus as it drowned.
