Ready for transportation of COVID-19 vaccine from Pune: AAI

The Airports Authority of India(AAI) on Thursday said it is fully geared to deploy itsresources to facilitate transportation of COVID-19 vaccineacross the country from here.

Consignments of 'Covishield' vaccine, manufactured atcity-based Serum Institute of India (SII), are scheduled to bedispatched to various locations in the country from the Puneairport.

The AAI said along with its subsidiary AAI CargoLogistics & Allied Services Company Ltd (AAICLAS), it wasready for the task.

On Wednesday, a meeting of all stakeholders, includingSII, AAI and the Indian Air Force (IAF), was heldhere todiscuss the standard operating procedures (SOPs) fortransportation of vaccine from the Pune airport to variousdestinations.

The AAI-operated airport at Lohegaon shares the runwaywith the IAF.

''Everyday, Pune @aaipunairport operates 40 flights to15 destinations across the country. The airport handles 150-tonne cargo daily.

''#AAI & @AAICLAS_in are fully ready and capable ofcontributing airport resources for transportation of COVID-19vaccine in the national interest,'' the AAI tweeted.

When contacted Kuldip Singh, director, Pune airport,said the purpose of the Wednesday's meeting was to assess theaerodrome's capability and readiness to handle vaccine cargo.

''We are capable of handling the cargo,'' he said.

The Union health ministry has informed states andunion territories that they are likely to receive the firstsupply of COVID-19 vaccine shortly and asked them to remainprepared to accept these consignments.

In a communique in New Delhi, the ministry saidvaccine will be supplied to the identified consignee points of19 states and union territories.

India's drugs regulator on Sunday approved Oxford-AstraZeneca's 'Covishield', manufactured by SII, and home-grown Covaxin of Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech for restrictedemergency use in the country.