Aurangabad, May 28 : Businessmen from Aurangabad in Maharashtra have demanded resumption of domestic flights, saying when such services can be restarted in Pune, which has reported over 6,600 COVID-19 cases so far, why not in the Marathwada district where cases are comparatively less.
So far, Pune district has reported 6,643 COVID-19 cases, while Aurangabad, which is a prominent industrial hub of the state, has reported 1,397 cases.
Chamber of Marathwada Industries and Agriculture’s former president Ram Bhogale recently tweeted a comparison of the number of COVID-19 cases in Pune and Aurangabad, and demanded resumption of flights from here.
“Industrial zones in Aurangabad have resumed operations as per the permitted limits, but flights are not operational here, which is a major hurdle in planning activities which can help bring the industry and businesses back on track,” he told PTI on Wednesday.
When flight operations can be restarted in Pune despite such huge number of COVID-19 cases there, why they can’t be resumed in Aurangabad, he said.
Air connectivity with New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru should be resumed, he said, while pointing out that many Aurangabad-based companies have set ups in Uttarakhand, Bengaluru and other places in the country.
Another Aurangabad-based industrialist Mansingh Pawar also demanded resumption of flights from here.
In Pune, industrial zones as well as flight operations have restarted, he noted.
“In Aurangabad, industries are facing hurdles for permits and flights services have also not resumed. This will escalate losses here. Not just the industry, but other people here also need air connectivity. The city has representation in the Lok Sabha as well as the Rajya Sabha, but no one says a single word,” he said.
BJP’s Rajya Sabha member Bhagwat Karad said he will talk to authorities concerned on Thursday on the issue. “We hope to get a positive response soon,” he said.
(PTI)
