Ahmedabad: In a swift response to the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI171, Union Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu has cut short his engagements and is heading to Ahmedabad to directly oversee rescue and relief operations.

The minister, who was attending the first anniversary celebrations of the NDA government in Vijayawada, immediately cancelled all scheduled events upon hearing the news of the accident. According to a statement from his office, Naidu is treating the situation as an utmost emergency and has moved quickly to assess and coordinate the crisis response on the ground.

“He is in direct and continuous communication with key officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Airports Authority of India (AAI), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and senior authorities in the Gujarat state government,” the official statement read.

The minister’s office emphasized that rescue and medical personnel are already at the crash site, working under a high-alert protocol. “Passenger safety, emergency medical response, and coordinated rescue efforts are the top priorities at this critical hour,” the statement said.

Naidu’s personal visit to the site is expected to bolster coordination between central and state agencies and ensure immediate assistance to survivors and families affected by the incident.