Air India Express offers free cargo service for Assam flood relief

Guwahati: As Assam continues to battle devastating floods that have claimed 75 lives and affected over 3.3 lakh people, Air India Express has announced free cargo transportation of relief materials to Guwahati for registered NGOs and recognised relief organisations.

The airline said eligible organisations can transport essential relief supplies—including food, drinking water, medicines, hygiene kits, clothing, blankets, tarpaulins and other necessities—from Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata to Guwahati without cargo charges. Shipments will be facilitated in line with cargo acceptance guidelines and available flight capacity.

The announcement comes as the latest Disaster Reporting and Information Management System (DRIMS) report shows seven more flood-related deaths in Sivasagar, taking the state's death toll to 75. More than 3.32 lakh people across 622 villages remain affected, with over 45,000 hectares of farmland still submerged.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced an enhanced relief package, including ₹9 lakh in financial assistance for the families of those killed in the floods. The state has also waived the post-mortem requirement for the ₹4 lakh ex-gratia payment and extended assistance to families of people missing for over 30 days.

Air India Express has asked organisations involved in relief work to coordinate shipments through its dedicated cargo support team and encouraged the public to share the information with NGOs, volunteer groups and community collectives working on the ground.