New Delhi, Nov 28, 2022, By Special Correspondent

New Delhi, Nov 28: Flights from Agartala to Chittagong in Bangladesh and from Imphal to Mandalay in Myanmar will start soon as part of enhancing international air connectivity in the northeastern region, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Monday.

 

He said this while virtually flagging off the first flight from the new airport at Arunachal Pradesh's Itanagar.

 

The flight from Hollongi airport to Mumbai via Kolkata is being operated by IndiGo, which will also be increasing its services from the region.

 

Scindia said that air connectivity in the North East has been enhanced and more flights will be operated connecting the region with other places.

 

Now, there are 16 airports in the North East compared to 9 in 2013-14, he said, asserting that efforts are on to make the northeastern states the country's growth engine.

 

These air routes under UDAN scheme will expand the scope of air connectivity in the northeastern states from national to the international level.

 

UDAN stands for 'Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik', which is a regional airport development programme of the Government of India.

 

The enhanced aerial connectivity in the mountainous cities of the five NE states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur and Mizoram will play a vital role in creating the ease of living for the residents of region and boosting tourism and trade.

 

Scindia said that the Union Government has given special emphasis on the air connectivity for the northeastern region and pointed out that in the last eight years, seven airports have been developed in the region. 

 

Under UDAN scheme, 14% routes have been awarded to the north-east. Under UDAN 4.2, about 18% routes have been awarded to the north-east. A Rs 500-crore corpus has been dedicated to the air-connectivity of the northeast. Under Krishi UDAN, 25 airports have been incentivised in the region.

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the Donyi Polo Airport in Hollongi, Itanagar, on November 19.

 

Officials said the inauguration of the Donyi Polo airport in Arunachal Pradesh was not just another ribbon cutting ceremony. There was no airport in Arunachal Pradesh, the country's eastern most state.

 

The NDA government at the Centre has the credit of building seven airports in the northeast region since it came to power in 2014. This is against nine airports built between 1947-2014.

 

As a result, aircraft operation in the region has witnessed an increase by 113 per cent since 2014, from 852 per week in 2014 to 1,817 per week in 2022.