The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation held a meeting on Tuesday to review safety as Cyclonic Storm Arnab nears the Andhra Pradesh coast. The storm will hit on 28 October with high winds. Officials said flights in coastal Andhra Pradesh and Odisha will face delays, so agencies are working together now.
New Delhi: In light of IMD inputs that expect Cyclonic Storm "Arnab" to intensify into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm and cross the Andhra Pradesh coast on 28 October, with winds of 125-135 kmph and gusts up to 150 kmph, the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on Tuesday organised a review meeting to assess the situation and ensure aviation safety.
According to MoCA, the flights to and from coastal Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha (including Bhubaneswar) are expected to be most affected. Hyderabad, Varanasi, Prayagraj and Gorakhpur may see knock-on delays depending on the storm's track.MoCA also stressed inter-agency coordination between stakeholders like Airports Authority of India (AAI), Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), India Meteorological Department (IMD), airline and airport operators, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), disaster management authorities of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal and others to ensure passenger safety.