The first fixed-wing commercial passenger flight to Ziro in Lower Subansiri from Lilabari in Assam to be operated by Alliance Air under the UDAN scheme of the central government was flagged off on Sunday. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu flagged off the flight.
Two more flights – Shillong-Lilabari-Shillong and Imphal-Aizawl-Imphal – were also launched during the inaugural ceremony held virtually, which was attended by union minister of civil aviation Jyotiraditya M Scindia and chief ministers of Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram.
Khandu said, “In all spheres of connectivity – road, rail, air and digital connectivity – North East has witnessed unprecedented progress in the last 8 years of Modi government. The once neglected and under-developed region today is at par with other developed states of the country,” Khandu said.
He informed, in the last 8 years, Arunachal Pradesh could develop and make air-worthy nine advanced landing grounds that were lying dilapidated and unused.
“While Pasighat and Tezu already have fixed wing commercial air connectivity, today we have added Ziro. Of the remaining six ALGs, three are feasible for fixed wing flight landing and three – Tawang, Aalo and Walong – will be used as heliports,” Khandu said.
He said that once the airport at Hollongi is inaugurated and made operational inter as well as intra state air connectivity will get a major boost. Informing that the Hollongi airport is complete and ready for operation, he said Arunachal Pradesh is waiting for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come and dedicate it to the people.
Sarma termed it a significant day as the Alliance Air operations will lead to greater air connectivity in North East particularly between the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Manipur. He said, “I consider the launch of these air operations not just an extension of airline routes but more importantly a futuristic gesture, which will go a long way in promoting people to people contact, tourism and trade”.
He on the occasion, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said it is due to his policy of ‘Transformation through Transportation’, the North Eastern states have witnessed unprecedented improvement in the connectivity sector in the last eight years.
The Chief Minister also said that Lilabari in Lakhimpur district is an important corridor to the North Eastern states. The airport is a corridor to several tourist places as State government for the development of the airport has already handed over 84 acres of land for construction of basic strip and isolation bay.
Sarma also said that under Prime Minister’s initiative with the help of UDAN scheme all important cities of the North East have been brought together under the regional connectivity scheme. Moreover, under his leadership work for a new terminal at LGBI airport has been undertaken by the government and the work has made tremendous progress. Rupsi airport in Western Assam which remained defunct since 1984, has been redeveloped under UDAN scheme and has been in operation since May last year, the Chief Minister added.
Sarma further said that today North East is fuelling India’s aviation growth. The industry has achieved a milestone which was unthinkable few years ago. With UDAN scheme in force, aircraft movement in North East from August 2017 to August 2022 rose to 7973 flights, which is an increase of 36 per cent, higher than the growth rates in East, West, North and South zones.
