Chhattisgarh’s Maoist-hit Bastar district to get commercial flight service from June 15

NewsBharati    16-May-2018
Total Views |

Raipur, May 16: The Bastar district of Chhattisgarh which is infamous for Maoist insurgency from a very long time will be on the aviation map of the country from June 15 as Air Odisha is going to start flight services from Visakhapatnam to district headquarters of Jagdalpur and Raipur.

Jagdalpur was one of the four cities in Chhattisgarh to get an airport under the regional connectivity scheme (RCS) of the Centre. Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey has informed the Chhattisgarh government about the air services connectivity to Jagdalpur from June 15, sources in the Civil Aviation Ministry said.

The flight will have a capacity of 18 passengers. Initially, it was decided to start the service from May 12 but due to some issues, it has been delayed to June 15. And it is estimated that the flight will cover the distance in 50 mins.

The development assumes significance as the operation of the airport promises to give a big boost to the local economy of the region with air connectivity. “The district has been fighting the insurgents for long. There has been a long-standing demand from the locals for air connectivity which would finally be realized,” said an official of the Civil Aviation Ministry, informing about the beginning of the air service.

The bookings for the flight have been started and people are showing a good interest in this says the state’s Civil Aviation Chief Mukesh Bansal.

The regional connectivity scheme will link Bastar aerially with Raipur which is well connected to different cities in the country. According to the Air Odisha website, the flight from Jagdalpur to Raipur will leave at 11.05 AM and reach the state capital at 11.55 AM. Likewise, the flight between Jagdalpur and Visakhapatnam will leave at 9.10 AM and reach at 9.50 AM. Both the sectors will be serviced six days a week.