Arunachal Pradesh CM Urges Increase in Flight Connectivity

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has urged the central government to enhance flight connectivity from Donyi Polo Airport to boost tourism and commerce. Khandu highlighted the current limitations and requested additional flights to major cities, emphasizing the necessity for improved connectivity for residents and visitors.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday called on the Centre to bolster flight connectivity from Donyi Polo Airport. He underscored that increased flights would enhance connectivity, tourism, and commerce in the northeastern state.

In a letter to Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Khandu noted that currently, Donyi Polo Airport operates flights to Kolkata six times a week and to New Delhi four times a week. These flights consistently run at full capacity, leading to high travel fares and ticket unavailability, even for medical emergencies.

The absence of daily flights impacts ease of access for tourists and residents, often necessitating alternative travel arrangements. Khandu also pointed out the inconvenient layovers and additional night stays required for travel to other cities like Bhopal and Kochi. He appealed for increased flights to New Delhi and Kolkata, as well as reinstating routes to Guwahati under the RCS-UDAN scheme. Additionally, he requested more flights to Delhi and direct connections to other major metros from Itanagar.

Khandu expressed gratitude to IndiGo for its existing services and its plans to offer daily flights to Kolkata starting July 31. He assured that the state’s civil aviation department would provide all necessary support to enhance and extend these services.