Guwahati, July 17: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has requested the Union Civil Aviation Ministry to increase flight connectivity to and from the Donyi Polo Airport, Itanagar for improvement of quality of life of citizens, connectivity, tourism and commerce in the state.

In a letter (DO.No.CM (ARUN)-07/2024-25/16th July 2024) addressed to Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu dispatched Tuesday, Khandu pointed that as of now, one flight each is being operated to and from the Donyi Polo Airport to Kolkata (6 times a week) and New Delhi (4 times a week).

These flights, he said, are regularly operating at complete capacity, often leading to immense surges in travel fares and unavailability of tickets for prospective passengers, including in cases of medical and other exigencies. Also the absence of daily flight operations hampers ease of access for visitors, tourists, etc., often forcing them to seek other travel options.

Khandu further pointed that connectivity options through connecting flights to major cities from the Kolkata and New Delhi airports is poor.

To prove his point, he cited that there is no same-day connectivity while travelling from Itanagar to Bhopal and Kochi, causing passengers to spend an additional night at New Delhi or Kolkata, the layover while travelling from Itanagar to Ahmedabad is 5 hrs. 25 min, while returning from Ahmedabad to Itanagar is 4 hrs. 40 min and the layover while travelling from Itanagar to Bengaluru is 6 hours .

The Chief Minister also lamented the discontinuation of flight services between Itanagar and Guwahati operated by FlyBig under the UDAN scheme since November 2023.

He appealed the Union Minister to increase flight services from Itanagar to New Delhi and Kolkata, preferably including an additional morning departure from Itanagar to New Delhi, daily operations of flights from Itanagar to New Delhi, direct flight connectivity to other major Metros such as Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, etc, improvement of connectivity options from New Delhi and Kolkata Airports for connections to major cities and reinstating flight services between Itanagar and Guwahati under the RCS-UDAN scheme.

Meanwhile in another letter directed to Rahul Bhatia, Group Managing Director of InterGlobe Aviation Limited (IndiGo), Khandu sought increase in number of flights to Delhi, preferably a morning departure flight from Itanagar.

He also requested for direct flight connectivity from Itanagar to other major Metros such as Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad etc.

Expressing gratitude to IndiGo for operating the first flight from the Donyi Polo Airport, and for connecting Itanagar to Kolkata and New Delhi through regular flights, Khandu said that the initiation has been of immense comfort and convenience to people of Arunachal Pradesh and other States, tourists, students and others.

He informed that the State’s department of Civil Aviation has already been instructed to provide all necessary support to IndiGo for the enhancement and extension of flight services.

It may be noted that IndiGo has announced to operate flight services between Itanagar and Kolkata 7 days a week starting July 31. Currently there’s no flight service on the route on Wednesdays.

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