Airports Authority of India identifies 24 routes under UDAN and VGF

GUWAHATI: Under the first phase of Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) and viability gap funding (VGF), the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has identified 24 routes in Assam to provide selected airline operators (SAOs) for operating UDAN flights under the scheme.

However, there are many Airports in Assam that have not been covered under the UDAN Scheme, with the most important ones being those at Dibrugarh, Kumbhigram in Silchar, Lilabari in Lakhimpur, and Jorhat. Dibrugarh being the hub of industry, trade, and commerce, with oil and gas, tea, polymers, manufacturing, and tourism industries flourishing in and around the city, and also due to Dibrugarh’s geographic proximity, connecting the North Bank through airways, and its proximity to the neighbouring State of Arunachal, it has become vital to improve air connectivity and facilitate increased air traffic in the region.

Similarly, the airport at Kumbhigram in Silchar is also vital for connecting the Barak Valley and the Brahmaputra Valley, as connectivity gets disrupted at times due to floods. Presently, few flights are available on the route, and due to the increased demand, airfares have spiked. Hence, it has become imperative to revive the underserved airports at reasonable prices through VGF. Further, the districts of Dhemaji and North Lakhimpur, located on the easternmost corner of the North Bank of the Brahmaputra, are connected to the rest of Assam and the country through the only airport located at Lilabari, which is functional but underserved.

Till recently, Fly Big Airlines was operating in this sector, but that was also discontinued owing to less traffic and commercially nonviable flights. As per the approval of the State Cabinet, operation of flight services between Guwahati, Dibrugarh, and Guwahati-Silchar sectors has been started through Flybig under ‘Capital Subsidy under Non-UDAN Sector, wherein the State Government is providing Viability Gap Funding (VGF). In this regard, the Government of Assam is pleased to direct all officers and officials of the Government of Assam that they are to mandatorily make official travels through these flights only. In exceptional cases, officials will use other airlines, but not otherwise.

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