Itanagar, Sep 23 Arunachal Pradesh Civil Aviation Minister Balo Raja has written letters to top executives of Akasa Air and Alliance Air, urging them to introduce and realign direct flight services to improve air connectivity for the state and adjoining districts of neighbouring Assam.
In his communication to the Chief Executive Officer of Akasa Air, the minister requested the airline to explore launching of direct flight services between Itanagar and Kolkata, with onward connectivity to major southern cities including Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad, an official statement said on Wednesday.
Raja noted that the request comes amid the possibility of IndiGo discontinuing its existing direct service following the planned rollout of a new Itanagar-Guwahati-Kolkata sector from October this year.
He emphasises that convenient air links from the state capital is essential for passengers, students, patients, officials, tourists, and business travellers from Arunachal Pradesh and nearby regions.
In a separate letter to the Chief Executive Officer of Alliance Air, Raja urged the carrier to examine the feasibility of deploying its ATR 72 aircraft for direct operations on the Itanagar-Kolkata route to facilitate easier travel for residents seeking healthcare, education, and commercial opportunities in major metros.
He also suggested that Alliance Air consider diverting its smaller Dornier aircraft services to regional destinations such as Ziro, Tuting, Anini, Pasighat, and Tezu, where operational airports and Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) are already functional, especially in light of IndiGo’s proposed direct services between Itanagar and Guwahati.
The minister hoped both airlines would favourably consider the requests in the interest of boosting regional tourism, trade, and overall movement in remote, strategically important border areas.
(PTI News)
