Airports across the country are gearing up to resume operations after the lockdown ends. However, these airports are also working to ensure the safety of passengers and employees.
The Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, one of the busiest airports in India, is still operational owing to the large amount of cargo passing through it. The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), led by GMR Group, which manages the Delhi airport has already taken steps to ensure safety against the virus. "Delhi Airport is conducting training and assessments of key service personnel, run checks on major facilities, and performing risk evaluations to prepare for resuming operations," Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, CEO, DIAL said to India Today.
A team of 500 professionals carry a sanitisation drive every hour for high contact surfaces, such as desks, chairs, elevators, railings, CUSS, trolleys, handles, trays and baggage belts inside the terminals. The airport operator cleans the entire 6,08,000 square metre of the airport every day. Airport authorities also told India Today that the washrooms are closed after every hour to clean up the surfaces.
These practices will be carried on even after the airport reopens.
Every alternate seat has been marked and coloured tapes have been put up at various standpoints to ensure social distancing. Apart from this, additional seating facilities will be provided to passengers near the check-in counters, security areas and near immigration.
Airport authorities will deploy additional queue managers at the kerbside, check-in halls security check areas and boarding gates with social distancing markets to ensure social distancing amongst passengers. DIAL further plans to encourage flyers to check-in at home or use self-check-in facilities, self bag tag, scan & fly, etc. They will be reminded to wear masks and maintain social-distancing. Additional security staff equipped with proper PPEs will be stationed at various spots to screen airport staff.
There will be auto sanitiser dispensers at the terminals and UV machines will be installed in the airport to disinfect luggage. Trolleys would be disinfected after each use.
DIAL has also created proper facilities for isolatiing COVID-19 suspects at the airport.
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