Itanagar, 17 July: In a bid to improve air connectivity to the northeastern state, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has urged the Union Civil Aviation Ministry to increase flight services to and from Donyi Polo Airport in Itanagar.

In a letter to Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Khandu highlighted the current challenges faced by passengers, including high travel fares and ticket unavailability due to full capacity flights to Kolkata and New Delhi. He also pointed out the poor connectivity options from these two cities to other major metros, resulting in long layovers.

Khandu appealed for increased flight services from Itanagar to New Delhi and Kolkata, daily operations, direct flights to other major metros like Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, and Hyderabad, and better connectivity options from New Delhi and Kolkata. He also sought reinstatement of flight services between Itanagar and Guwahati, which was discontinued in November 2023, under the UDAN scheme.

In a separate letter, Khandu requested IndiGo Airlines to operate more flights to Delhi and direct flights to other major metros. He expressed gratitude for the airline’s current services and assured support from the state’s Department of Civil Aviation for enhancing flight services. IndiGo has announced daily flights between Itanagar and Kolkata starting July 31.

The move is expected to boost connectivity and tourism in the region, and provide relief to passengers facing travel hassles.