Ramdev, Team Anna vitiating atmosphere: Congress

New Delhi, June 2: The Congress on Friday made light of the proposed fast by Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare on Sunday and accused them of "vitiating" the atmosphere by putting out "half baked, out of reference stories".

"Fasting is good for health in summers. You should eat less and drink more water in the hot months," Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhury said on the proposed fast by the activists on the issue of corruption.

Hitting out at Team Anna and Ramdev for targeting the Prime Minister on coal bloc allocations, she said it was "irresponsible" talk by Ramdev and others.

"Will the yoga guru tell in which manner the coal blocks should be distributed?", she said on the campaign by Team Anna and Ramdev for an independent probe into coal bloc allocations.

Asserting that "we will not come under duress", she accused Team Anna and others of trying to undermine investors' confidence in the country.

"They were vitiating the atmosphere by putting out half baked, out of reference stories in public domain," she said dismissing suggestions that the government and the party has trouble at hand on the "coal-gate"" issue Chowdhury added that "we are not going to be directed by anybody as to how to handle the matter. It is good enough that other investigation agencies are looking into the matter and there should be some line that we should not cross".

She, however, made it clear that she is not stating that the CAG is wrong. "We do not comment on the draft reports and until the final report comes out, I would not like to comment on the same."

The Congress reaction came as Team Anna stepped up attack on the Prime Minister alleging that the CBI probe into alleged misuse if coal bloc allocations were meant to give a "clean chit" to him.

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IndiGo meltdown: 200 flights cancelled; Bengaluru hit hard with 42 cancellations

News Network

December 3,2025

IndiGo, India’s largest airline, is battling one of its worst operational disruptions in recent years, with hundreds of delays and cancellations throwing domestic travel into chaos.

Government data on Tuesday showed its on-time performance plunging to 35%, an unusual dip for a carrier long associated with punctuality.

By Wednesday afternoon, airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad had collectively reported close to 200 cancellations, stranding travellers across the country.

Crew Shortage After New Duty Norms

A major trigger behind the meltdown is a severe crew shortage, especially among pilots, following the rollout of revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms last month.

The rules mandate longer rest hours and more humane rosters — a shift IndiGo has struggled to incorporate across its vast network.

Sources said several flights were grounded due to lack of cabin crew, while some delays stretched upwards of eight hours.

With IndiGo controlling over 60% of India’s domestic aviation market, the ripple effect has impacted airports nationwide.

IndiGo Issues Apology, Lists “Compounding Factors”

In a statement, IndiGo acknowledged the large-scale disruption:

“We sincerely apologise to customers. A series of unforeseen operational challenges — technology glitches, winter schedule changes, adverse weather, system congestion and updated FDTL norms — created a compounding impact that could not have been anticipated.”

To stabilise operations, the airline has begun calibrated schedule adjustments for the next 48 hours, aiming to restore punctuality. Affected passengers are being offered refunds or alternate travel arrangements, IndiGo said.

What the FDTL Rules Require

The FDTL norms, designed to reduce pilot fatigue, cap duty and flying hours as follows:
•   Maximum 8 hours of flying per day
•   35 hours per week
•   125 hours per month
•   1,000 hours per year

Crew must also receive rest equalling twice the flight duration, with a minimum 10-hour rest period in any 24-hour window.

The DGCA introduced these limits to enhance flight safety.

Hyderabad: 33 Flights Cancelled, Long Queues Reported

Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport saw heavy early-morning crowds as 33 IndiGo flights (arrivals and departures) were cancelled.

The airport clarified on X that operations were normal, advising passengers to contact IndiGo directly for latest flight status.

Cancellations included flights to and from Visakhapatnam, Goa, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Madurai, Hubli, Bhopal and Bhubaneswar.

Bengaluru: 42 Flights Disrupted

Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport recorded 42 cancellations — 22 arrivals and 20 departures — affecting routes to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Goa, Kolkata and Lucknow.

Passengers Vent on Social Media

Irate travellers took to X to share their experiences. One passenger stranded in Hyderabad wrote: “I have been here since 3 a.m. and missed an important meeting.”

Another said: “My flight was pushed from 1:55 PM to 2:55 PM and now 4:35 PM. I was informed only three minutes before entering the airport.”

Delhi Airport Hit by Tech Glitch

At Delhi Airport, the disruption deepened due to a slowdown in the Amadeus system — used for reservations, check-ins and departure control.

The technical issue led to longer queues and sluggish processing, adding to delays already worsened by staff shortages.

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