Imphal, Nov 15 — In a move aimed at strengthening regional air connectivity, improving accessibility and providing greater convenience to air travellers, flight services on the Imphal-Silchar (Assam)-Imphal route will commence from November 24, officials said on Sunday.
An official of the Manipur government said that the state Transport Department has initiated the process for the commencement of flight services on the Imphal-Silchar-Imphal route with effect from November 24.
He added that the service would operate twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, under the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Scheme of the Manipur government.
The flights will be operated by Alliance Air under the VGF arrangement between the airline and the state government.
The official noted that with the addition of the Imphal-Silchar-Imphal sector, the state's VGF scheme would now cover four routes -- Imphal-Guwahati, Imphal-Dimapur, Imphal-Kolkata and Imphal-Silchar.
The new flight service is expected to provide an additional and convenient travel option for the people of Manipur, strengthen air connectivity with the Barak Valley region of southern Assam and facilitate easier access for trade, commerce, education, healthcare and other essential activities.
The initiative is also expected to contribute to promoting economic activities, improving regional mobility and fostering stronger economic and social linkages between Manipur and neighbouring areas.
Meanwhile, the Manipur government has earlier repeatedly urged the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) to intervene to bring down the steep airfares on routes connecting Imphal and ensure the introduction of additional flights to ease the difficulties faced by air travellers.
Additional Chief Secretary Anurag Bajpai had earlier held a series of meetings with the Civil Aviation Secretary and senior officials of the Ministry, drawing their attention to the civil aviation-related challenges faced by the people of Manipur.
During the meetings, Bajpai highlighted that exorbitant airfares charged by airlines, including IndiGo, Air India Express and Alliance Air, were causing considerable hardship to passengers.
He said that air ticket prices on Imphal-connected routes were reportedly five to six times higher than those prevailing in other Northeastern states.
Bajpai, who holds the Transport, Textiles, Commerce and Industry departments, also added that the government guidelines on airfare capping were not being followed on routes connecting Imphal.
He also highlighted that the number of aircraft operating on these sectors had declined since October, further aggravating the connectivity-related difficulties faced by the people.
He also told the Union Civil Aviation Ministry that Alliance Air had discontinued services on several important routes, including Imphal-Silchar, Imphal-Aizawl and Imphal-Dibrugarh, and urged the Ministry to take necessary steps to facilitate their immediate revival.
In addition, the state government requested the Centre to reconsider the inclusion of these routes under the UDAN (Regional Connectivity Scheme-RCS-UDAN), citing strong public demand and the need to improve affordable air connectivity in the region.
The Manipur government has said that improved air connectivity is essential for facilitating the movement of people, strengthening trade and commerce, and ensuring better access to education, healthcare and other essential services, particularly in view of the state's geographical location and connectivity challenges.
The proposed resumption of the Imphal-Silchar-Imphal flight service is expected to provide another important air link for the people of landlocked Manipur while strengthening connectivity with southern Assam.