A delay in taking off of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s chartered flight from Jalgaon to Mumbai on Friday night proved to be a blessing in disguise, as it enabled the timely airlifting of a kidney failure patient who needed urgent medical attention in Mumbai.
Shinde, according to reports, was in Jalgaon to attend the Palkhi Yatra (religious procession) of Sant Muktai in Muktainagar.
His return to Mumbai was delayed when the pilot of his flight initially refused to fly, citing a breach in the duty hour regulations. The pilot had reportedly completed 8 hours and 45 minutes of his permitted 9-hour shift and required clearance from the authorities to proceed.
However, after the necessary approvals were obtained from the company and the authorities, Shinde took off at 9:45 pm from Jalgaon airport.
During the delay, a request was made to Shinde's office regarding a patient in urgent need of transport to Mumbai. The patient, Sheetal Borade, was suffering from kidney failure and had missed her earlier scheduled flight. She needed to reach the hospital by midnight to be eligible for a kidney transplant.
According to a statement from Shinde’s office, the patient’s family reached out through Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan. Shinde immediately responded, arranging for two party workers to give up their seats so that Borade and her husband could board the flight. He also ensured a special ambulance was ready at Mumbai airport for their swift transfer to the hospital.
Girish Mahajan added that apart from regulatory delays, the pilot was also experiencing a minor health issue, which was resolved after consultation with the aircraft operating company.
The Borade family expressed heartfelt gratitude to Shinde for his timely intervention, which allowed the patient to receive the critical treatment she needed. "The delay, though unplanned, turned into a life-saving opportunity," said Gulabrao Patil, water supply and sanitation minister.