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 public transport revolution: 100 new govt electric buses to end private ‘trip-cutting’

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: Public transport in Mangaluru is set for a state-led transformation as the government moves to deploy 100 new electric govt buses to replace unreliable private services. The initiative aims to provide a dependable alternative to private operators who have been frequently "cutting trips," leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

The announcement was made by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV during a public phone-in session. The move specifically targets routes where private bus service has become erratic, ensuring that citizens no longer have to rely on a fluctuating private sector for their daily commute.

Restoring the Govt Presence

The transport crisis was brought to the forefront by Ramayya, a resident of Bajal, who highlighted a growing trend of private buses skipping morning and night trips. With the previous KSRTC (govt) services discontinued, residents have been left without a fallback option.

To fix this, the DC confirmed that the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme will bring 100 government-owned electric buses to the city:

• Phased Deployment: The first 50 of the new 100 government buses are scheduled to arrive by March 2026.

• State Infrastructure: Two new government depots, including one at Mudipu, are being prepared for operations.

• Recruitment: The state has already begun training a new batch of government bus drivers to ensure the fleet is operational the moment it arrives.

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