Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj stages protest on highway over IndiGo disruptions

Bengaluru, Dec 7 (PTI) Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj on Sunday staged a sit-in demonstration on the Bengaluru-Hyderabad highway in protest against disruptions to IndiGo flight operations.

Nagaraj and his supporters gathered near the Devanahalli toll gate and held the demonstration, raising slogans against the Centre and the airline.

Traffic was disrupted due to the protest, prompting police to reach the spot and place Nagaraj and his supporters under preventive custody.

Speaking to reporters, Nagaraj said continuous disruptions in IndiGo’s flight operations were causing hardship to passengers, but neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had commented on the issue.

He said the Chief Minister should have visited the airport and spoken to people affected by the disruptions.

“Because of repeated flight cancellations and delays by IndiGo, passengers are being forced to move around the airport for days. Children, senior citizens and women are the worst affected,” he alleged.

He also claimed the Central government’s negligence was responsible for the situation.

Nagaraj demanded that IndiGo and the Civil Aviation Department take responsibility and provide a permanent solution.

IndiGo has cancelled thousands of flights over the last few days as it grappled with significant operational disruptions, mainly due to crew shortage.

Against the backdrop of a large number of flights cancelled and delayed at various airports, causing hardships to thousands of passengers, the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), on Friday, set up a four-member inquiry panel to ascertain the reasons for the situation and recommend mitigation measures. PTI GMS SSK