New Delhi: Passengers will have to spend more money for air travel from now as the Civil Aviation Ministry on Thursday increased the lower and upper limits on domestic airfares by 10 to 30 per cent.

These new limits would remain “in force up to March 31, 2021, or until further orders”, the ministry said in its order on Thursday.

While announcing the resumption of scheduled domestic flights on May 21 last year, the ministry had placed limits on airfares through seven bands classified on the basis of flight duration.

The first such band consists of flights that are of less than 40 minutes duration. The lower limit for the first band was increased on Thursday from ₹ 2,000 to ₹ 2,200. The upper limit in this band was set at ₹ 7,800, which was ₹ 6,000 earlier.

The subsequent bands are for flights with durations of 40-60 minutes, 60-90 minutes, 90-120 minutes, 120-150 minutes, 150-180 minutes and 180-210 minutes.

The fresh lower and upper limits set by the ministry for these bands on Thursday were: ₹ 2,800 – ₹ 9,800, ₹ 3,300 – ₹ 11,700, ₹ 3,900 – ₹ 13,000, ₹ 5,000 – ₹ 16,900, ₹ 6,100 – ₹ 20,400 and ₹ 7,200 – ₹ 24,200, respectively.

Till date, the lower and upper limits for these bands were: ₹ 2,500 – ₹ 7,500, ₹ 3,000 – ₹ 9,000, ₹ 3,500 – ₹ 10,000, ₹ 4,500 – ₹ 13,000, ₹ 5,500 – ₹ 15,700 and ₹ 6,500 – ₹ 18,600, respectively.

Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had said on May 21 last year that each airline would sell at least 40 per cent of its tickets on a flight at prices less than the midpoint between the lower limit and upper limit.

Domestic passenger services resumed on May 25 last year after nearly two months of suspension to combat the coronavirus outbreak.

Along with the limits on airfares, the government had asked the airlines to operate not more than 33 per cent of their pre-COVID domestic flights. On June 26, the cap was increased to 45 per cent. This was gradually increased to 80 per cent. The ministry said on Thursday that the 80 per cent limit would remain in place till March-end.

The aviation sector has been significantly impacted due to the travel restrictions imposed in India and other countries in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

All Indian carriers last year took cost-cutting measures such as pay cuts, leave without pay and firing of employees in order to conserve cash.

Scheduled international passenger traffic continues to remain suspended in India since March 23, 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, special international flights have been operating since July 2020 under air bubble arrangements formed with various countries.

Srinagar: Body of a 15-month-old boy, who went missing since Wednesday evening from his residence in central Kashmir district of Ganderbal, was on Thursday recovered from Sindh nallah.

Official sources said that a complaint was registered at Police Station Gund by a person that his minor son, identified as Waheed Ahmed, went missing from his residence at Rezan in Kangan on Wednesday evening.

“A case was registered and investigation was taken up,” they said, adding a massive search operation was launched by police and locals in the area to trace the missing boy.

However, they said the body of the minor boy was recovered from Sindh nallah near Kullan bridge on Thursday morning. “The body was fished out and taken away,” they said.

They said after completing all the legal and medical formalities, the body of the deceased will be handed over to his relatives for last rites. “The boy died due to drowning,” they said, adding investigation has been initiated to ascertain the circumstance in which the toddler died.

Thakurnagar: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday reiterated that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) will be implemented as soon as the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination drive ends.

“As soon as vaccination drive will conclude and we become Corona-free, the work of providing citizenship will be undertaken,” he said.

Addressing a rally here, which is a stronghold of Matua community, Mr Shah said, “CAA is Parliament’s law, how can you stop it? Also, you will not be in a position to stop it.”

Earlier, the Union Home Minister said the people of West Bengal have decided in favour of change of government in the state.

Addressing a public rally at Rasleela Maidan of Coochbehar city in North Bengal today, he said, if BJP comes to power in the state, they will make Bengal free from infiltrators.

Shah also accused Trinamool Congress supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of “depriving” the poor people of the state.

He alleged that Banerjee had not implemented Central welfare schemes like PM Kisan Nidhi and Ayushman Bharat and promised to implement the same within a week, if BJP comes into power.

Will look into the matter, says Director, FCS&CA

Srinagar: Though around 228 trucks of sheep have reached Kashmir in the past ten days, people are complaining of a shortage of mutton in the market.

A resident of Srinagar said that he requires a mutton soup for the patient, but the non-availability of meat in the market has rendered him helpless.

“Whenever there used to be a shortage of mutton in the market we used to buy chicken. But due to the bird flu scare, we are not even able to buy that also,” another resident said.

“When the so many trucks of sheep are entering Kashmir where is that supply going. The government should look into it, there are patients in the hospital who need mutton soup as a diet,” the locals said.

General Secretary Mutton Dealers Association Mehraj-U-Din said that the fresh rates of mutton decided by the government were not in consensus with the mutton dealers.

“We had already submitted our proposal to the concerned departments for finalizing the rates of mutton,” he said.

On supply of 228 trucks of sheep reached the Valley in the past ten days, Mehraj-U-Din said he has no information about it, “but the supply is coming very less.”

Talking about the current mutton shortage in the valley he said, “We cannot sell the mutton on the rates which Government has framed because of the high price in outside Mandis.”

“The current Bird Flu scare has added more demand in the mutton in other states of India which has increased the price of sheep in Mandis,” he said.

Meanwhile, an official said that from February 01 around 228 sheep laden trucks have entered the valley.

Director, FCS&CA, Kashmir Bashir Ahmad Khan while speaking on the current mutton crisis in the valley said that he will look into the matter

“Nobody has brought this into my notice. There can be a shortage. I will look into it and also coordinate with sheep husbandry department,” he said. “We are continuously monitoring the rates of mutton. We are framing and enforcing the rates and if there is any violation we act accordingly.”

Kashmir has been a prime consumer of mutton. People in the valley consume 51,000 tons of mutton worth Rs 25,00 crore every year for which the supply is imported from outside states of India.(KNO)

Srinagar: The Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory administration has unveiled a scheme for protection of livelihood of street vendors and regulation of vending in the UT.

Documents in possession of KNO lay bare that the scheme has been rolled out under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014.

The scheme will be applicable to all the municipal bodies/Municipalities in the Union Territory of the Jammu and Kashmir from the date as may be notified by the government in the official gazette.

As per its guidelines, the town vending committee of the concerned urban local body such as municipal corporation or municipal council shall conduct the survey of street vendors itself or get it done through suitable agency.

The survey should be conducted to identify all existing street vendors within the area of its jurisdiction and the natural markets developed over the years by holding a spot verification.

The survey shall also record the identity of the street vendor, whether the vendor is a mobile vendor or a stationary vendor of a lane, sidewalk, footpath, pavement, public park or in any other public place or private area.

According to the scheme guidelines, a person shall be eligible for grant of certificate of vending if he is a citizen of India and has no other means of livelihood except street vending.

He shall also have completed the age of eighteen years or such other age as the government may prescribe.

The documents further state that the town vending committee shall fix vending fees depending on the footfall of the area but such fees shall be as prescribed by the government from time to time.

“Every year ten per cent fees shall be increased. The municipality may collect vending fees annually if it deems fit,” reads the documents.

Srinagar: The 270 kilometre-long stretch Srinagar Jammu Highway will remain closed for traffic on Friday for maintenance and repair.

Traffic authorities said the traffic will remain suspended on 12-02-2021 on Friday on Srinagar Jammu Highway for maintenance and repairs and no vehicular movement will be allowed for tomorrow.

In a communiqué by Traffic Police Headquarters J&K which read, “Tomorrow on 12-02-2021, no vehicular movement shall be allowed from either side on Jammu-Srinagar NHW in view of maintenance/repairing of the road.”

Meanwhile, Mughal the road continues to remain closed due to snow accumulation, reads the communiqué. KNO)

 Budgam, Feb 11: At least 8 persons including three females were injured after a passenger bus turned turtle in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district.

The incident occurred in Zoorigund village of the district while the bus (JK01C-8138) was coming from Srinagar.

An official while confirming the accident told KNT that among the 8 injured persons, one has been shifted to Srinagar hospital for advanced treatment. He said except one, all the injured are stable.

The driver of the bus lost control while taking to overtake a speeding vehicle and it after turning turtle fell from a slight height down to an open field.

The official identified the 6 wounded persons as  Habibullah Mir son of Muhammad Subhan, a resident of Sunargund, shifted to SMHS Hospital, Ruksana daughter of Ghulam Muhammad, resident of Chatroo Dangerpora,  Hafeeza Bano wife of Nazir Ahmad Bandro, a  resident of Banderpora, Aisha Bano wife of Nazir Ahmad Danda resident of Khansahib, Bashir Ahmad Dar Son of Ghulam Ahmad Dar resident of Arampora and Younis Manzoor son of Manzoor Ahmad Bandroo resident of Banderpora.