Intruder' escapes after flight diverted from India to Singapore to Dubai

April 20, 2016

Dubai, Apr 20: A Melbourne-Delhi Air India (AI) flight was forced to divert to Singapore after a rat scare, but pest controllers have been unable to trap the rat, according to reports in Indian media.

"When the aircraft was diverted to Singapore last Saturday (April 16), passengers were deplaned. After that the plane (VT-ANV) was taken to a remote bay at Changi Airport. We got the local pest control agencies there to lay glue boxes there. These boxes are checked every four hours to see if the rodent has been trapped," a news paper quoted an AI official.

After four hours, when Singapore pest controllers went to check they found the rat was not trapped.

AI flew the aircraft to Delhi, where it got another round of fumigation and rat trap treatment. Later, the same plane did a short flight to Dubai. The airline did not want to take chances by sending it to a far off place fearing the elusive rodent may be still be on the plane.

"The aircraft is now (Tuesday night) in Mumbai where it is getting the final round of fumigation. From Wednesday VT-ANV will fly to its regular destinations," said the official.

The official said the AI would never take any chances with safety. "Rats are a threat to flight safety of these high-tech planes as they can chew wires and if the open wires come in contact with one another, there can be consequences. So whenever a rat is sighted, we land at the nearest airport," the newspaper said.

The airline believes the rat came from a catering truck. It has taken a series of decisions to prevent rodents from sneaking into planes after AI chairman Ashwani Lohani visited the Delhi airport.

So where did the rat go? The official said that two people of that team in Singapore saw the rat running out of the aircraft.

Comments

Is there any respect;value from AIR INDIA to human being. Travelers must look about air india's history before flight booking.

One of the worst airline in the world.

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Mangaluru’s ₹1,200 crore fix: Massive sewage overhaul to end city’s drainage woes

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

• Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

• STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

• Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

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