ITANAGAR, 28 Nov: Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday virtually flagged off the first commercial flight of IndiGo Airlines from Kolkata to Donyi Polo airport in Hollongi here.
In Hollongi, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein flagged off the return flight from Donyi Polo airport to Kolkata and Mumbai.
“It is the beginning of a new chapter in civil aviation history of Arunachal Pradesh as from today onwards we are going to have direct air connectivity from Donyi Polo airport to Kolkata, Mumbai and other metro cities across the country,” Mein said.
He extended gratitude to IndiGo Airlines, which is one of the largest and best commercial flight operators in the country, for choosing to operate from Donyi Polo airport.
“IndiGo, with 75 destinations across the country, will introduce a direct flight to Mumbai, via Kolkata, and connecting flights to various metro cities across the country.”
Apart from this, IndiGo will also provide connecting flights to Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and Europe, via Istanbul, in collaboration with Turkish Airlines, he said.
Stating that the flight services would greatly enhance tourism in the state and open new opportunities for investment, trade and travel, he said: “Side by side, it will also help other hospitality industries like hotels and accommodation facilities to grow in the state, and boost the economic activities to a great extent.”
“Now onwards, people from rest of the country can explore the rich scenic beauties and diverse cultures of our state as we are going to have air connectivity to the tourist places of the state, namely, Tezu, Pasighat, Ziro, Aalo, Mechukha, Tuting, and Vijaynagar, in the days to come,” he said.
The DCM further informed that Alliance Air will start its fixed-wing Dornier service on the Dibrugarh-Hollongi-Ziro-Lilabari route from 29 November.
“We will also have fixed-wing air connectivity to far-off border places like Tuting, Mechukha and Vijaynagar in the coming days,” he added.
He requested the Airports Authority of India to “facilitate instrument landing system and all navigation aids for all-weather operation at Tezu airport for round-the-year air connectivity to eastern Arunachal, which will be a boon for the socioeconomic development of the state.”
Among others, union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, MP Tapir Gao, Legislative Assembly Speaker Pasang Dorjee Sona, MLAs Chau Zingnu Namchoom and Jummum Ete Deori, Itanagar Municipal Corporation Mayor Tame Phassang, Civil Aviation Secretary Rajiv Bhansal, and IndiGo head office adviser RK Singh were present on the occasion. (DCM’s PR Cell)
