Coronavirus vaccine India update | Govt to set up air freight stations for distribution: Report

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Coronavirus vaccine India update | Govt to set up air freight stations for distribution: Report

The government is planning to set up air freight stations (AFS), or off-airport cargo-handling facilities, to quicken the movement of COVID-19 vaccines from the factories to aircraft.

The Centre’s plan involves cutting dwell time of cargo at airports, and faster overflight and landing permits, according to a Business Standard report. AFS are built to manage shipments and reduce congestion at airport terminals.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.

Dwell time is the amount of time a cargo consignment takes to leave an airport after receiving customs permits and security clearances.

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Business Standard reported that export and import clearances and customs activities will be provided at the AFS. The AFS will be set up near factories manufacturing vaccines for the novel coronavirus.

As some COVID-19 vaccine candidates enter the last stage of human trials, the central government is preparing plans for transportation and distribution.

Airports are also preparing their facilities and terminals to aid transportation of vaccines.

Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) will provide flexible slot allocation for ad hoc freighter operations for transportation of COVID-19 vaccines, a spokesperson told PTI.

A spokesperson of HIAL, which operates the Hyderabad international airport told the news agency it has temperature-controlled zones for vaccine transportation.

Delhi international airport, too, has temperature-controlled zones, and two cargo terminals that have a massive capacity, the report said.

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