Air connectivity in NE to improve
New Delhi: The new civil aviation policy will improve the regional air connectivity including in North East by reviving and operationilsing many airport/airstrip in the landlocked region, the Minister of State Mahesh Sharma told the Parliament.
The Centre has formulated a Draft National Civil Aviation Policy in order to promote Regional Connectivity across the country including in North East, Sharma said. He was replying to a question of Wansuk Syeim, the
The Policy encourages for revival of unserved and underserved aerodromes and airstrips as no-frills airports to provide connectivity to the Tier-II and Tier-III cities, the Minister said.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has undertaken works at five locations, namely, Hubli and Belgaum in Karnataka, Kishangarh in Rajasthan, Jharsuguda in Odisha and Tezu in Arunachal Pradesh, he said.
The new civil aviation policy is expected to give a downward push on prices of air tickets on routes between non-metro destinations with the civil aviation ministry setting in motion the ball to subsidise the cost of air travel for the common man at about Rs 2,500 per flying hour.
Under the newly conceived regional connectivity scheme (RCS incentivising airlines to fly to unconnected destinations will not only drastically cut travel time but also help bridge the fare gap with railways thereby catalysing the masses to avail of air travel options.
Earlier a study of air fares available between non-metros on travel portal makemytrip show that a one-way flight ticket between Guwahati and Dibrugarh costs Rs 4,228. It also reduces travel time by more than 12 hours.
Besides, providing for affordable air travel options to the middle-class consumer, the regional connectivity scheme is also expected to link up unconnected destinations.
“In parts of Rajasthan, North-East India, Madhya Pradesh there are no options to travel by rail.
The push for air travel proposed under the regional connectivity scheme is expected to boost domestic air traffic to 300 million by 2022 from 70 million now besides making it available to common men in remote regions.