New Delhi, March 30: Centre on Monday said that it has pressed Air India and its subsidiary Alliance Air into providing cargo services to ferry medical supplies to different parts of the country.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) is coordinating with state Governments for supply of medical equipment and related essential items needed for protection against and testing of COVID-19. Coronavirus Cases in Maharashtra Rise to 215.

"Based on requirements received from various states on urgent basis, the senior officials of the Ministry coordinate with supply agencies for providing required material which can be further transported to the desired destinations," MoCA said in a statement.

"Air India and Alliance Air flights are being operated to carry out the necessary supply operations across the country."

In order to cater to eastern and north eastern parts of the country, an Alliance Air flight from Delhi to Kolkata carried shipments for Kolkata, Guwahati, Dibrugarh and Agartala on March 29, 2020.

In northern region, IAF flight from Delhi to Chandigarh to Leh carried ICMR VTM kits and other essential cargo.

"The information sharing, answering of queries and the work at ground is going on round the clock for delivering the supplies to the destinations in a timely manner so the the efforts to fight the COVID-19 are multiplied and supplemented,a the statement said.

At present, no domestic or international passenger flight operations is allowed. However, cargo operations Have been permitted to continue.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 30, 2020 12:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).