Flights to Nagaland cancelled due to water logging on runway

No official announcement made regarding flight cancellation at Kolkata airport, complains passenger

Our Reporter
Dimapur, May 19 (EMN): A Dimapur-bound flight from Kolkata was diverted on Thursday due to water logging at Dimapur Airport caused by incessant rains, said airport authorities.

At least two flights were scheduled to land at Nagaland’s only airport on Thursday morning, but the one from Guwahati was cancelled, while the flight from Kolkata was diverted due to water logging on the runway, Dimapur Airport authorities told Eastern Mirror.

“Since the airport is at low-lying area, the water from the surrounding areas is logged in at the airport. However, the drains have been cleared and water has been drained,” the authorities said.

‘The water-level has subsided and if there is no rain tomorrow (May 20), flight operations will resume,’ it was informed.

Meanwhile, all flights to and from Dimapur airport were cancelled on Thursday due to water logging on the runway, snapping airlink between Nagaland and the rest of the country, an airport official told PTI.

The rainfall lasted for almost three hours in the morning and led to water logging of up to 60 mm, which is much more than the recommended 3 mm water on the runway, AGM (electrical) at Dimapur Airport, Moatemjen Pongen told the news agency.

He said water had accumulated on the runway due to the clogged drains forcing cancellation of all incoming and outgoing flights for the day.

A flight that had landed in the early hours of the day could not take off.

Passengers face inconvenience

The cancellation of flights to Dimapur caused inconvenience to passengers, making them to wait at the airport for several hours without updating them about the situation, sources told Eastern Mirror.

“My family and I were scheduled to fly by the 9:55 IndiGo flight today (Thursday). We were called for boarding and lined up twice but were sent back to wait for without sighting any reason. Hours past and we got no information, so we decided to contact someone at Dimapur airport. Only then did we find out the reason for the delay (water logging in Dimapur airport),” complained a passenger, who had booked a ticket from Kolkata to Dimapur.

It was informed that the passengers were left distressed and at a loss due to the lack of communication as no official announcement was made regarding the cancellation of their flight at Kolkata airport.

“We left the airport only after 3 pm; no refreshments were provided. However, in the end, after several complaints by travellers, we were offered accommodation, and are scheduled to reach Dimapur tomorrow (Friday),” said the source.

(With inputs from PTI)