Latest news with #Negi
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business
- Business Standard
IndiGo Q1 profit down 20.5% on airspace curbs, AI171 crash fallout
IndiGo on Wednesday announced that its consolidated net profit dropped 20.5 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) to ₹2,174.9 crore in the first quarter of 2025–26 due to airspace restrictions, geopolitical disruptions, and the impact of the AI171 crash, which led to widespread flight cancellations and depressed ticket yields. 'The June quarter was marked by a series of external impactful events. Geopolitical events, airspace restrictions, and the unfortunate accident in Indian aviation led to higher flight and passenger cancellations and a moderation in yields,' said Gaurav Negi, chief financial officer, IndiGo. Yield refers to the average fare paid per passenger per kilometre flown. Pakistan has shut its airspace for Indian carriers since April 24, following the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22. Despite these disruptions, the airline carried 12 per cent more passengers during the quarter, clocking 31 million travellers — double the industry growth of 6 per cent. 'Amid a series of external challenges, we delivered a robust growth of 12 per cent in passengers served. This was double the growth of the industry, which stood at 6 per cent, highlighting the strength of our network and execution,' Negi said. The airline saw a relatively strong start to the quarter, but conditions deteriorated in May and June. 'While a large part of April performed well, May and June were marked by significant geopolitical headwinds, which led to a significant number of cancellations and did not allow normalisation of yields,' Negi said. Total income for the quarter rose 6 per cent Y-o-Y to ₹21,542.6 crore. Operationally, IndiGo inducted eight new aircraft during the quarter while making progress on reducing reliance on wet-leased planes. 'We inducted eight planes during the quarter... Further, as we mentioned in the last conference call with analysts, the number of grounded aircraft remains stable in the 40s. And with the reduction in the number of groundings, we have started returning damp leases (wet-leased aircraft) and have redelivered 16 damp-leased aircraft this quarter,' Negi said. The airline is keeping its fleet plans flexible. 'We remain open to inducting additional wet-leased aircraft based on the demand and supply situation going forward,' he added. Chief executive officer Pieter Elbers said the quarter was marked by severe turbulence, including the tragic AI171 accident and airspace curbs. The closure of many airports across northern and western India, following India's anti-terror military Operation Sindoor on May 7, forced the airline to cancel up to 170 flights a day. Elbers said the airline has begun long-haul services to Europe, launching flights to Amsterdam and Manchester in early July. Given strong demand, IndiGo will double its frequency to Amsterdam and add a fourth weekly flight to Manchester. A reciprocal codeshare with KLM will also expand the airline's reach across Europe. After debuting on the Delhi–Mumbai route late last year, IndiGo's business class product (called Stretch) has now been extended to flights to Bangkok and will soon launch on routes to Singapore and Dubai. Elbers said the market response has been encouraging, with load factors improving gradually. On the domestic front, IndiGo recently began operations from Hindon airport in Delhi and is looking to expand its network further. The airline's loyalty programme, launched late last year, has now amassed 3.8 million members. Elbers said this, combined with long-haul flying, a tailored premium product, and ongoing network expansion, positions IndiGo strongly to tap into India's aviation growth story. While acknowledging that the airline's financial performance would have been better in the absence of geopolitical and airspace disruptions, Elbers said IndiGo has demonstrated agility and resilience in the face of adversity.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Himachal ministers flays BJP for insulting national flag, revenue minister
Himachal health minister Dhani Ram Shandil and agriculture minister Chander Kumar on Sunday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and accused it of insulting the national flag and senior minister Jagat Singh Negi. Himachal revenue minister Jagat Singh Negi (File) In a joint statement, the ministers denounced the incident of misconduct with revenue minister Negi in Thunag area of Seraj assembly constituency. They stated that BJP workers, acting under the instructions of their leaders, threw shoes, slippers and black cloth on the national flag mounted on Negi's car which is a highly shameful and condemnable act. People on Friday, had greeted revenue minister with black flags and ''go back'' slogans, and tried to stop his vehicle in the Seraj assembly constituency in the Mandi district during his visit to the disaster hit areas. More than 50 people were booked by Mandi police on Saturday under sections 126 (2), 189 (2), 190, 191 (2) of the BNS, officials had said. 'The tricolour is a symbol of our nation's identity and countless brave soldiers and great leaders have sacrificed their lives for its honour. But the way the BJP workers insulted it reveals their true face to the public,' they said, adding that people of the state now understand that BJP's 'Tiranga Yatras' were just a show and they have no real respect for the national flag. They added that the state government had decided to temporarily shift the forestry college from Thunag to ensure students' safety, but BJP leaders are turning it into a political issue and risking the safety of students just to gain political mileage. The ministers further said that they have been in politics for over five decades but have never seen such a low level of political conduct. 'Revenue minister Negi had visited Seraj and other parts of Mandi district to assess the damage to farmers and horticulturists, and to prepare a suitable relief package. Farmers in Mandi have suffered heavy losses in apple orchards and polyhouses. The revenue minister was going to present a detailed report in the cabinet,' the ministers said, while accusing the BJP of engaging in petty politics and hindering relief efforts aimed at supporting farmers and disaster-hit people. Govt decided to shift the college temporarily: Negi Negi on Sunday said that protestors in Thunag were pressuring him to declare that the college of horticulture and forestry would not be shifted from the area. Addressing the media in Shimla, the minister said, 'I told them that I cannot take this decision alone, as it has been made at the government level. I asked them to submit a formal demand letter, which I would present to the government. However, they insisted that they would not leave until I gave them a definitive assurance.' Negi said he had already met some locals a day before who had raised the same demand, and he had clarified the situation to them. 'I explained that, for now, the government has decided to shift the college temporarily. The students were not safe there—they had to spend the night in the rest house on the night of the disaster. These students do not want to return due to ongoing safety concerns.' There are around 300 students enrolled in the college located not too far from a stream in Thunag. Most of the students stay in rented accommodation close to the college. They had a narrow escape on the night cloudbursts occurred.
United News of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Negi accuses BJP of insulting national flag
Shimla, Jul 27(UNI) Himachal Pradesh Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi has strongly criticized BJP leaders and a few local businessmen in Thunag for allegedly insulting the national flag during a protest against the government's decision to shift the Horticulture College from Thunag to a safer location. Negi defended the Congress government's move to relocate the college, citing the recent flash floods and the risk to students' lives. "It is wrong to run a college in a disaster-prone area just to protect business interests of a few people," he said, adding that students living in rented homes in Thunag had themselves requested relocation due to repeated disasters in 2023 and 2024. The Minister said that BJP workers and a handful of shopkeepers tried to block the state government's decision and even created a scene during his visit to the area. 'They surrounded my vehicle, threw black cloths and a slipper-like object at it, and disrespected the tricolour mounted on the car,' he alleged. 'This act amounts to treason,' he added. Negi also questioned the BJP's silence over the incomplete infrastructure of the college. "Out of the total Rs 270 crore sanctioned, only Rs 10 crore was spent when BJP was in power," he claimed. He said Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is personally monitoring the situation and relief work is going on without any resistance from the common people. 'Only some BJP leaders and businessmen are trying to politicize the issue,' Negi said. Negi further targeted BJP leader Dr. Rajeev Bindal, saying, 'The real shameful act is the insult of the national flag, not the relocation of the college meant to save lives.' The college was shifted after discussions with the university, as there was no suitable vacant land in the Saraj area, the Minister clarified. UNI ML RKM
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Ministers slam BJP for insulting national flag and senior minister
1 2 Shimla: Himachal Pradesh health minister Dhani Ram Shandil and agriculture minister Chander Kumar on Sunday slammed the BJP , accusing it of "insulting not just a senior minister of the state government, Jagat Singh Negi, but also the national flag, the symbol of India's pride and honour". In a joint statement, the ministers strongly condemned the July 25 incident involving Negi in Thunag area of Seraj assembly constituency. They alleged that BJP workers, "acting under the instructions of their leaders, threw shoes, slippers, and black cloth on the national flag mounted on minister Negi's car -- a highly shameful and condemnable act." "The Tricolour is a symbol of our nation's identity and countless brave soldiers and great leaders sacrificed their lives for its honour. But the way the BJP workers insulted our national flag reveals their true face to the public," the ministers said. They added that the people of the state now understand that BJP's 'Tiranga Yatras' were merely a show and that the party has no genuine respect for the national flag. The ministers, both veterans in public life, stated that they had been in politics for over five decades but had never witnessed such a low level of political conduct. They said the state government had decided to temporarily shift the Forestry College from Thunag to ensure students' safety, but BJP leaders were turning the issue into a political controversy and risking students' safety for political mileage. They also said that the revenue minister had visited Seraj and other parts of Mandi district affected by recent disasters to assess the damage suffered by farmers and horticulturists and to prepare a suitable relief package. "Farmers in Mandi suffered heavy losses in apple orchards and polyhouses used for floriculture. The revenue minister was going to present a detailed report in the cabinet," they added.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
BJP workers among 57 booked for protests against Himachal minister in Seraj
Police in Mandi have registered three FIRs against more than 50 people, including BJP workers, for wrongful restraint, unlawful assembly and rioting after they welcomed Cabinet Minister Jagat Singh Negi with black flags, raised 'go back' slogans and tried to stop his vehicle during his visit to the disaster affected areas under Thunag sub division of the district, officials Saturday said. Negi, the Revenue and Horticulture Minister, is on a four-day visit to the rain-ravaged areas in Mandi. He faced the protests on Friday when he visited the Seraj Assembly constituency, represented by Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, over his announcement of shifting the the College of Horticulture and Forestry from Thunag to Sundernagar in the district. Several purported videos of the protesters throwing black flags and hurling shoes at the minister's cavalcade have been shared on the social media with the ruling Congress accusing the opposition party of orchestrating the protests. The the incident took place under the jurisdiction of Janjehli police station. Mandi police said they have registered cases under sections 126 (2), 189 (2) (wrongful restraint), 190 (unlawful assembly), 191 (2) (rioting) of BNS, officials said. Superintendent of Police (SP), Mandi, Sakshi Verma, said FIRs have been lodged under bailable offences at Janjheli police station. 'One man has been booked for allegedly hurling stones on the cavalcade of the cabinet minister. All three FIRs were registered Friday night. Efforts are on to identify the suspects,' Verma said. The FIRs were registered based on complaints lodged by local Congress leaders Jagdish Reddy and Virendra Kumar. The first FIR accuses protesters of obstructing the minister's path and showing black flags and names 57 individuals as accused. The second FIR includes charges of stone pelting. The third FIR alleges that the minister's vehicle was stopped near the bridge at Thunag market around 5:35 pm where some women reportedly raised slogans against the relocation of the horticulture college, waved black flags, and hurled a shoe at the cavalcade. BJP questions intention behind college shift plan BJP's state unit chief Dr Rajiv Bindal condemned the state government for registering FIRs against BJP workers. 'Minister Negi came to Thunag and issued a notification about the relocation of horticulture college. What was his intention behind it? Only to further hurt the people of Thunag'. Party's former state president Satpal Singh Satti said Jai Ram Thakur, during his tenure as chief minister, had laid the foundation stone of the horticulture college, to come up at a cost of Rs 240 crore. 'All clearances were obtained, but after forming the government, the ruling Congress stalled all development work of the college. Now, under the garb of disaster, the government has decided to shift the institute from Thunag,' Satti said. He also questioned the intention of the state government saying the revenue minister visiting Seraj 26 days after disaster struck. Talking to reporters in Seraj, party's Mandal president Bhishm Thakur confirmed that party workers and locals showed black flags to the ministers and raised the 'go back' slogans in protested against the proposal to shift the horticuture college. He claimed that the protestors were manhandled by the police. At least 15 people died while 34 remain missing following cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides in different parts of Mandi on the intervening night of June 30 and July 1. Seraj bore the brunt of the disaster. Negi had earlier said that despite the rain ravaging several parts of the state, LoP Thakur was only interested in his constituency — remarks that had drawn sharp reactions from the BJP and the former chief minister. Protests an insult to minister, BJP's handiwork: Cong On Saturday, Negi said said that he held 'peaceful meetings' at three places and that group of people also called on him at Thunag rest house Friday urging not to shift the college. 'I told them that the matter would be taken up with the government,' he said, adding that they pressed for a statement in favour of their demand and tried to stop the vehicle and raised slogans, which was not right as their problem had already been heard. Negi further said that the horticulture college's location is unsafe, lacks hostel facilities, and even the students want the college to be shifted. Meanwhile, Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh and Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani, in a joint statement, termed the protests as not just an insult to a minister but also a disgrace to the 'democratic set up, cultural dignity, and constitutional values' of the state, read the statement. They further said that Negi had gone to the Seraj region to assess the damage caused by the disaster and to meet the affected families. However, 'some anti-social elements behaved with him in a premeditated and indecent manner. This entire incident appears to have taken place under the patronage of BJP leaders. The BJP has laid the foundation for an extremely unfortunate tradition in the political history of the state, the consequences of which could be quite grave in the future,' read the statement. Minister visits Syathi village On Saturday, Negi visited Syathi village in the Dharampur sub-division to assess the relief and reconstruction efforts and met the affected residents. Later, chairing a review meeting, he said reaching every affected person with relief is the topmost priority of the government. He recalled that Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu visited Syathi within 24 hours of the disaster and directed officials to ensure immediate relief and rehabilitation. Negi added that crop and orchard damages caused by the disaster will be jointly assessed by the revenue, agriculture, and horticulture departments. Local MLA Chander Shekhar said that 22 families in the region have been directly affected. Sub-divisional magistrate, Dharampur, Joginder Patyal said Rs 3.85 lakh has been distributed under various heads to the affected people.
