The announcement of regional carrier Alliance Air that it is soon going to launch flight services connecting Assam’s Dibrugarh with five towns in Arunachal Pradesh is great news for the state. If indeed the plan materialises, it will massively benefit the people of the state. There are plans to start flight services on the Dibrugarh-Pasighat, Dibrugarh-Tezu, and Dibrugarh-Ziro routes in the first phase. The Dibrugarh-Tuting and the Dibrugarh-Mechuka routes are expected to be added in the second phase. Besides Tezu, which has a proper airport, in the remaining four towns, there are advanced landing grounds (ALG), which are now coming in handy.
The state government should provide all possible help, so that this plan is materialised. With the monsoon arriving, the state will witness heavy rainfall, leading to disruption of road communication. In this scenario, air service can prove decisive in catering to the needs of the people. Alliance Air should make sure that its services are regular, and the air ticket fare should be reasonable. With the greenfield airport coming up in Hollongi, there is a lot to look forward to. The state government should explore the potential of constructing more ALGs in the state, especially in the remote parts of the state. Further, helicopter service within the state should also be increased.