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Have India’s air travel and hospitality industries recovered post-covid?

Have you ever considered that your regular commute to and fro work could potentially shave off some years from your life? And no, we’re not talking about road traffic accidents but the slow poison we’re inhaling unbeknownst to us: air pollutants. A new study published in <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(24)00114-1/fulltext">The Lancet Planetary Health</a> by an international team of researchers reveals a terrifying truth: over 7% of daily deaths in 10 major <keyword id="20026638" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-cities" source="keywords">Indian cities</keyword> are attributed to <keyword id="19900550" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-pollution" source="keywords">air pollution</keyword> caused by <keyword id="22110704" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PM2-5-pollutants" source="keywords">PM2.5 pollutants</keyword> exceeding the World Health Organization's (WHO) safe limits. These PM2.5 pollutants are microscopic particles, 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter, that come from <keyword id="2839914" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vehicle-emissions" source="Orion">vehicle emissions</keyword> and industrial activities. Imagine tiny daggers — that's what these PM2.5 particles are like, infiltrating deep into lungs and even the bloodstream, wreaking havoc on our health. The study found that PM2.5 levels breach WHO guidelines a staggering 99.8% of the time in these cities. The analysis covered major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Shimla and Varanasi. A staggering 7.2% of deaths in these cities, translating to roughly 33,000 annually, were associated with short-term PM2.5 levels exceeding the WHO's recommended limit (15 micrograms per cubic metre) between 2008 and 2019. Delhi, unfortunately, takes the crown for the most polluted. A shocking 11.5% of its annual deaths are attributed to air pollution, translating to a devastating 12,000 lives lost each year. The link between PM2.5 and mortality is undeniable. Researchers found that a mere 10 microgram per cubic metre increase in these pollutants correlates with a 1.4% rise in daily deaths. This risk factor doubles when considering only levels below India's air quality standards, which are, worryingly, less strict than the WHO's recommendations. But here's a surprising twist: the association between PM2.5 and death is even stronger in cities with generally cleaner air, like Bengaluru and Chennai. This suggests that locally produced pollutants, from sources like construction dust or waste burning, might be significant contributors. There is a glimmer of hope, however. The study emphasises that implementing stricter air quality standards and utilising proven pollution control methods from other parts of the world can be game changers. Lowering and enforcing stricter air quality limits will save tens of thousands of lives per year, emphasises Joel Schwartz, a co-author from Harvard University. This study serves as a stark wake-up call. The air we breathe in many Indian cities is a gamble, with every breath potentially harmful. Taking decisive action to curb pollution is not just about a cleaner environment, it's about saving the lives of millions of Indians.

Air pollution kills thousands in Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata every year: Lancet study

India's domestic air passenger traffic rose 9% to more than 1.27 crore in November, according to official data released on Friday. Last month also saw daily air traffic touching new highs multiple times. <keyword id="6354706" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="indigo" source="Orion">IndiGo</keyword> remained the country's largest domestic carrier but its market share declined to 61.8% in November from 62.6% in October. However, none of the scheduled carriers had an On-Time Performance (OTP) score of more than 80% in November. Official data released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday showed that airlines flew 1.27 crore passengers in November compared to 1.17 crore in the year-ago period. This marks a growth of 9.06% on an annual basis. "Passengers carried by domestic airlines during January-November 2023 were 1,382.34 lakhs as against 1,105.10 lakhs during the corresponding period of previous year thereby registering annual growth of 25.09% and monthly growth of 9.06%," DGCA said. The domestic market share of <keyword id="6358032" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="spicejet" source="Orion">SpiceJet</keyword> rose to 6.2% in November from 5% in October. Its OTP stood at 41.8% last month. <keyword id="2573" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-india" source="Orion">Air India</keyword>'s domestic market share remained unchanged at 10.5% in November while that of Vistara fell marginally to 9.4% last month. In November, the share of Akasa Air and AIX Connect remained unchanged at 4.2% and 6.6%, respectively. As per the data, Akasa Air topped the OTP chart at 78.2%, followed by IndiGo at 77.5% and Vistara at 72.8%. Air India's OTP was at 62.5% while that of AIX Connect and Alliance Air were at 69.7% and 66.1%, respectively. On-Time Performance (OTP) of scheduled domestic airlines is computed for four metro airports -- Bangalore, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai.

India's domestic air passenger traffic rises 9% in November

New Delhi, <keyword id="842113" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Domestic-air-passenger-traffic" source="Orion">Domestic air passenger traffic</keyword> in the country recorded an annual growth of nearly 11 per cent to 1.26 crore in October, according to official data released on Thursday. The traffic stood at 1.14 crore passengers in October 2022 and at 1.22 crore passengers in September this year. The data released by aviation regulator DGCA showed that IndiGo carried 79.07 lakh passengers, garnering a domestic market share of 62.6 per cent in October. The market share was lower compared to 63.4 per cent registered in September. Last month, Air India's domestic market share climbed to 10.5 per cent from 9.8 per cent in September while that of Vistara and AirAsia India (renamed as AIX Connect) declined to 9.7 per cent and 6.6 per cent, respectively, in October. SpiceJet's market share grew to 5 per cent in October from 4.4 per cent in September while that of Akasa Air remained unchanged at 4.2 per cent. "Passengers carried by domestic airlines during January-October 2023 were 1,254.98 lakhs as against 988.31 lakhs during the corresponding period of previous year thereby registering annual growth of 26.98 per cent and monthly growth of 10.78 per cent," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said. As many as 587 passengers were denied boarding by scheduled airlines in October, according to the data. A total of 30,307 passengers were affected by flight cancellations and 1,78,227 passengers were impacted due to flight delays last month.

Domestic air passenger traffic rises 11% in October

The number of domestic air passengers in India is expected to double to about 300 million annually by 2030 and the country would still have a vast untapped market, Union Civil Aviation Minister <keyword id="19999763" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="jyotiraditya-scindia" source="keywords">Jyotiraditya Scindia</keyword> said on Thursday. Speaking at the inaugural session of Wings India 2024, a civil aviation conclave and exhibition here, <keyword id="19905342" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="scindia" source="keywords">Scindia</keyword> said India under the leadership of Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword> in the last decade, has been a "shining star" on the global firmament of civil aviation. He said the number of airports and waterdromes will go up to over 200 from the existing 149 in the country. With 300 million passengers a year in 2030, India's aviation penetration would be at 10-15% and still be a potential market in the decades to come. "That is the potential that India holds not only to herself and Asia, but to the world. ...even with achieving 300 million domestic passengers by 2030, we will still be one of the most under-penetrated markets across the top 20 in the world. Today our penetration is roughly about 3 to 4% that will grow to about 10 to 15%. We still have 85% penetration to go," he said. He noted that the domestic air passenger traffic witnessed 15% growth (CAGR) while international air passenger traffic was 6.1%, in the last decade. According to Scindia, India today is the third largest domestic civil aviation market in the world and the seventh largest international civil aviation market in the world. If both domestic and international are combined, then India is the fifth largest civil aviation market in the world. In the last 15 years, domestic and international cargo witnessed a growth of 60 and 53% respectively. "Our domestic cargo traffic over the last 15 years has grown by close to 60% and our international cargo traffic, by close to 53%. And it is our considered opinion and that of industry consultants that domestic traffic which was 153 million in the last calendar year, up from 60 million in 2014, will grow to 300 million by 2030," he said. On the fleet size in the country, Scindia said it has grown from 400 to over 700. "Today, India has become the largest purchaser of aircraft in the world after the US and China. Our fleet size is going to grow from 713 to upwards of 2,000 in the next decade." Observing that 74 airports were built in 65 years, he said the government has modernized and built an additional 75 airports, waterdromes and heliports in the last 10 years. "It is our target, that by 2030, we will take that number from 149 to upwards of 200 airports, waterports and heliports in our country," he said. Scindia also marked the occasion by launching the Udan 5.3 scheme. "This regional connectivity scheme has truly transformed the arena and our sector... today under Udan, infrastructure has been built at 76 airports, waterdromes and heliports. Close to 517 new routes have been operationalised that could not have been dreamt of in the past," he said. Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation General (retd) VK Singh and Telangana Roads and Buildings Minister K Venkat Reddy also spoke on the occasion.

Air passenger traffic in India expected to reach 300 million by 2030: Jyotiraditya Scindia

As Mumbai, India's financial capital, witnessed vertical growth over the years with highrises dotting its skyline, some 'gaothans' (villages) have held onto their heritage and legacy. Ranwar, in the heart of Bandra, is one such village that has resisted the urge to make way for towering structures. Dwarfed by highrises, the East Indian-majority village has narrow streets lined with old quaint bungalows and crosses outside homes. With jazz music streaming in the air, walking around the area can transport you to a simpler time. While Bandra developed rapidly and became home to Bollywood's elite and a burgeoning street shopping hub, residents of Ranwar maintained their old bungalows. The coexistence, however, has come at a price, causing traffic issues and crowding. And now, plans are afoot to give the 300-year-old village a facelift while preserving the past. Talking to PTI, <keyword id="23283968" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Johan-Dharmai" source="Orion">Johan Dharmai</keyword>, BJP secretary and a member of the East Indian community, said, "Locals want to preserve the heritage. One of the steps in the facelift plan is to close vehicle movement and build a walkway so that tourists can take a stroll and enjoy the architecture." Though many houses in Ranwar are now being redeveloped, Veronica Street has maintained its old-world charm. It has a square erected in 1866. However, honking rents the air on this street, as motorists see it as a shortcut to Bandra Reclamation and other areas. Mehboob Studio is just a stone's throw away, and senior citizens living on Veronica Street recall seeing actors Helen and Zeenat Aman around Ranwar. A beautification, restoration and conservation project is being initiated to improve safety, regulate traffic and create awareness about the centuries-old village. Mumbai BJP president and <keyword id="20238930" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bandra-West" source="keywords">Bandra West</keyword> MLA Ashish Shelar recently met locals to discuss ways to move the project forward. "The beauty of Bandra West is its 'gaothans'. The heritage needs to be protected and showcased. I have asked the government to allocate funds from the District Planning Development Committee (DPDC). <keyword id="23283965" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ranwar-Village" source="keywords">Ranwar village</keyword> will get a facelift. The work has begun on roads, CCTV cameras, street light illumination, parking and traffic plan will be in place with the help of locals and architects," Shelar told PTI. <keyword id="23283967" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Architect-Samir-DMonte" source="keywords">Architect Samir D'Monte</keyword> has been working with the Ranwar Veronica Street Residents' Association since 2009, and they identified a range of problems that the area faced. D'Monte said improvements were made to open spaces and common areas, roads, sewage and drainage systems, street signage, street lighting and traffic and parking management. Apart from this, individual houses were restored, and an innovative fire system was also introduced. Locals say most residents are senior citizens and want to live peacefully without disturbances by motorists. Kaevan Umrigar of Khaki Tours, who works to create awareness about Mumbai's heritage, said Bandra comprised 23 gaothans that housed fisher folk, Kunbis (a farming community) and the agris community who had salt pans. "Ranwar was a farming village, and the area had paddy fields. Later, these paddy fields made way for urban settlements. These little villages are now trapped in the city. Now, only 10 to 15 gaothans in Bandra have survived," he said. But preserving heritage comes at a cost, and if a 'gaothan' comes under heritage guidelines, it becomes difficult to upgrade a home in the area or live a modern life, Umigar said, adding that heritage should be made attractive by tapping the tourism potential of these areas. 'Gaothans' in Mumbai and the larger Mumbai metropolitan region (MMR) are urban villages that house the city's original inhabitants. The Mumbai suburban district collector and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have been roped in for Ranwar's facelift plan. Umigar calls land scarcity a threat to 'gaothans', with only 100 left in the city. "When someone wants to develop gaothans, they want to do it vertically. There is a constant battle between heritage and development. They (villages) survive because the houses are tightly packed and on narrow lanes. So individual houses are not attractive for redevelopment, and parking becomes an issue," he said.

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Have India’s air travel and hospitality industries recovered post-covid?

Prerna Tyagi

Air pollution kills thousands in Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata every year: Lancet study

Ashmita Gupta

India's domestic air passenger traffic rises 9% in November

PTI

Domestic air passenger traffic rises 11% in October

PTI

Air passenger traffic in India expected to reach 300 million by 2030: Jyotiraditya Scindia

PTI

300-year-old Bandra village to get facelift to conserve its glorious past

PTI

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