Latest news with #SardarVallabhbhaiPatelInternational
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
A'bad airport gets recognition for better customer experience
Ahmedabad: The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport, Ahmedabad, announced on Friday that it received Level-4 accreditation by the Airports Council International (ACI) for improved customer experience. This recognition places SVPI Airport among a select group of airports globally and third in India for enhanced customer experience. The accreditation evaluates multiple parameters, including airport culture, governance, operational improvement, measurement, customer strategy, and customer understanding. Key initiatives driving the SVPI Airport's Level-4 accreditation include the digitisation of SOPs, the launch of Digi Yatra, self-baggage drop at both terminals, a rejection line for baggage belts, and increasing baggage handling from 600 to 1,600 bags per hour. AI-based surveillance cameras were installed for enhanced safety and project monitoring, among other improvements. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
Time of India
6 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Sky is the limit: IPL fever keeps SVPI airport buzzing
Ahmedabad: The city is in the grip of cricket frenzy, and nowhere is it more evident than at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) airport. Over the past three days, the city's airport turned into a buzzing gateway for thousands of cricket fans flocking in for the final leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches. On May 31, ahead of the high-octane eliminator match between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians, SVPI airport clocked a footfall of at least 43,000 passengers, with 305 scheduled air traffic movements (ATMs), over and above 20 non-scheduled charter flights. This is higher than the average daily passenger movement of 37,000 passengers in a day, including domestic and international travellers at SVPIA. The excitement continued on Sunday, when the airport clocked a footfall of at least 41,300 passengers with some 300 scheduled ATMs. Over and above these, 30 non-scheduled charters also flew in and out of the city. The buzz intensified on Monday, in the run-up to the grand finale, with some 40,000 travellers and 250+ flights handled at SVPIA till 6 pm. With the vacation and holiday season also in full swing, the passenger footfall at the city airport has been soaring. As the IPL final draws in — scheduled for Tuesday at the Narendra Modi Stadium — Ahmedabad has transformed into a cricketing paradise. Hotels in the city are also doing brisk business, with occupancy levels shooting above 85% across both five-star and business and budget hotels. Even local eateries and restaurants are witnessing good business. With fans of Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings landing in Ahmedabad, the city is set to see yet another cricketing celebration.
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Time of India
Bangladeshi caught after years of travel on fake Indian passport
Ahmedabad: A Bangladeshi national was apprehended at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport in Ahmedabad on Tuesday for allegedly obtaining an Indian passport through forged documents. The incident came to light on May 22 during immigration checks for an Indigo flight to Kuwait. Immigration officer Kuldeep Karmata, posted at Counter 12, flagged passenger Biplob Halder after suspecting irregularities in his documents. Halder presented an Indian passport with a West Bengal address. Upon questioning, Halder admitted to being a Bangladeshi citizen and provided evidence of his parents' Bangladeshi nationality, including national ID cards and a medical report from Bangladesh. Halder showed a digital copy of his Bangladeshi birth certificate issued from Subhadya Union Parishad in Dhaka. The certificate confirmed his place of birth as Dhaka and listed both parents as Bangladeshi nationals. The document was retrieved from Bangladesh's birth and death registration database. Further inquiry revealed that Halder arrived in India with his parents to live with relatives in West Bengal. He claimed that he obtained false Indian documents with the help of a local agent named 'Chhapan' in Guptipura. Using affidavits and false declarations, Halder obtained a birth certificate from Kalyani Municipality and later acquired an Aadhaar card, voter ID, PAN card, and Indian passport. In 2018, Halder used these documents to travel to Kuwait, where he stayed for six years. He returned to India in Feb 2025 and later went to Bangladesh, where he married a local woman. Upon returning to India, he attempted to travel back to Kuwait when he was intercepted. The documents, including the Indian passport, boarding pass, Bangladeshi IDs, and birth certificate, have been seized. Airport police registered a case of forgery under the BNS and Passport Act and started an investigation.
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Time of India
Romanian national held at Ahmedabad airport for visa fraud
AHMEDABAD: A Romanian national, 42, was held at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport on Tuesday for allegedly presenting forged visa and immigration documents as he overstayed in the country. A visa agent, Manoj Joshi from Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh , was also booked in the case as he provided a forged visa to the Romanian national to stay in India. Hansraj Rathi, an immigration officer on duty at Terminal-2, reported that on Tuesday, around 9:00 PM, a passenger arrived at the immigration counter for a flight to Abu Dhabi, scheduled to depart at 10:40 PM. The passenger, identified as Dragomir Mihail Gadriel from Romania, presented a Romanian passport and an Indian visa to the immigration counter. During verification, the officer found discrepancies. The visa issued was for 90 days, but the submitted document reflected a 180-day stay. Further, the exit permit provided by the passenger showed an expiry date of 29 May 2025, while the official e-FRRO permit from New Delhi showed the correct date as 19 May 2025. On questioning, Gadriel admitted that both the altered visa and the forged exit permit were arranged through Joshi. Following this, immigration officials submitted a formal written complaint. Airport police registered a case of forgery, cheating, and use of false documents under the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita. Cops also seized articles, including the passport, boarding passes, and visa copies from Gadriel, and a written statement was taken from him. Special Operations Group (SOG) began an investigation to trace the agent and identify any possible links to other similar incidents. Cops are yet to know what Gadriel had done in country apart from touring and why he overstayed in the country.
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Time of India
All airports across Gujarat, including Ahmedabad on high alert after Operation Sindoor
AHMEDABAD: Following Operation Sindoor , five airports across Gujarat were shut down for civilian traffic. According to sources privy to the development, all airports in India are on high alert, which includes the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) airport in Ahmedabad as well. Congratulations! You have successfully cast your vote Login to view result "This means that there will be an additional layer of security check that all passengers will have to undergo just ahead of boarding the flight. Such common practices are followed on Republic Day and Independence Day as well. Passengers are advised to allocate extra time to reach the airport to comply with protocols and avoid delays in catching their flights," a source told TOI. Amid airspace restrictions and airport shutdowns, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) in Ahmedabad witnessed the cancellation of 16 flights - eight arrivals and eight departures - on Wednesday. The disruptions primarily affected three flights to and from Chandigarh, two to Srinagar, and one each to Keshod, Kishangarh and Bhuj. Air India tweeted, "In view of an order by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security on enhanced measures at airports, passengers across India are advised to arrive at their respective airports at least three hours prior to scheduled departure. Check-in closes 75 mins before departure." Among the arrivals, the cancelled flights included two from Srinagar, three from Chandigarh and one each from Keshod, Amritsar and Kishangarh. A Delhi-bound flight was cancelled, as was one arrival from Gatwick. A round trip to Najaf was also scrapped.
