Stuck in Mumbai for 2 months, cancer patient from Patna flies home
PATNA
For Amitesh Kumar Nag, 40, a marketing executive with a multi-national firm, it was a happy home-coming to Patna after three months.
Having gone to Mumbai for the surgery of urachal and peritoneal carcinoma on February 24, he was stuck there for three months during the lockdown, before his 10-year-old son Anmol, wife Sweta Nag and he returned to Patna by SpiceJet (SG 258) Monday morning.
“I was operated at the Kokilaben Reliance Hospital at Navi Mumbai on February 27 and discharged from the hospital on March 18. Doctors advised him to come for a review after a week, and then the lockdown was announced and I was stranded in Mumbai,” said Nag.
Nag made three attempts to return, but each time lockdown was extended and flights did not operate.
“I booked my tickets thrice — April 7, April 15 and May 4 — but each time I could not travel because the lockdown was extended. Though I was staying with my aunt in Mumbai, I was desperate to return home and even arranged for movement pass by road when the government announced lifting of the embargo on domestic flights,” said Nag.
The uncertainty over flight operations from Mumbai till late Sunday evening did not help his cause.
“I was constantly watching the news last evening… I lost 14 kg after surgery and still feel weak, but I had no option as I reached the airport three-and-a-half hours before the scheduled departure,” he said.
“Even today, I was not sure whether my flight will operate when I reached Terminal-2 of the Mumbai airport, as around 50 flights were cancelled from Mumbai,” said Nag, feeling much relieved to have returned home at Gaighat in Patna City.
Ten flights — five of SpiceJet, four of IndiGo and one of Air India — had operated from the Patna airport till 5pm on Monday, as domestic flights operation commenced after two months since the lockdown on March 25. One flight of IndiGo was scheduled to operate at 7pm, said Patna airport director BCH Negi.
“We had 1,424 incoming passengers and 724 outgoing passengers by 10 flights. GoAir will resume operations from June 1.
Nag was appreciative of efforts to maintain social distancing inside terminal building of both Mumbai and Patna airports, but said there were no such restrictions outside. He also said there was no one to take the health declaration (on coronavirus symptoms) either at Patna or Mumbai airports.
“We were checked by infrared thermometers both at Mumbai and Patna airports. Officials checked our status on the Aarogya Setu mobile app, but there was to ask us to fill our health declaration form,” Nag signed out.
TAKING OFF
11 flights operated from Patna airport on Monday
Five departures each of IndiGo and SpiecJet; and one of Air India
There were 1,424 incoming passengers and 724 outgoing passengers by 10 flights till 5pm on Monday
DGCA has approved 17 daily scheduled flight departures from Patna airport as per calibrated flight operations due to Covid-19
GoAir will commence flight operations from June 1
Vistara will re-start operations from Patna from June 15
