TFP Bureau, Raipur, September 7, 2025: As Chhattisgarh celebrates 25 years of statehood, the expansion of air connectivity has emerged as a landmark achievement in its development journey. While Raipur was already linked to major Indian cities, the launch of regular passenger flights from Bastar, Bilaspur and Ambikapur has opened new avenues of growth, particularly for the tribal heartland of Bastar.
Jagdalpur’s Maa Danteshwari Airport, steeped in history since its construction in 1939 under British rule, has transformed into a modern hub under the Central Government’s UDAN scheme. Originally known as “Jahaj Bhata,” the airport underwent major upgradation by the Airports Authority of India in 2017 and was classified as a 3-C category airport in 2019, enabling the operation of ATR-72 aircraft. In 2020, it was officially renamed after Maa Danteshwari, the revered deity of Bastar.
Commercial air services took off in September 2020 with Alliance Air connecting Jagdalpur to Raipur and Hyderabad. Soon after, flights to Delhi, Jabalpur and Bilaspur were introduced. Indigo Airlines added to the network in March 2024, launching daily flights to Hyderabad and Raipur, while special services to Delhi cater to paramilitary personnel.
To date, more than three lakh passengers have traveled from Jagdalpur Airport, marking a new era of connectivity. Officials noted that this development has significantly boosted healthcare, education, tourism, and trade in the region. Urgent medical transfers to metropolitan hospitals have become easier, while students and job seekers now have greater access to higher education and employment opportunities across the country.
Bastar’s famed handicrafts, herbal products, and forest produce are reaching national markets more efficiently, giving artisans and local entrepreneurs a direct link to larger consumers. Meanwhile, the inflow of domestic and international tourists to attractions such as Chitrakote and Tirathgarh waterfalls, Kanger Valley National Park, and the iconic Bastar Dussehra festival has received a strong push.
Officials highlighted that the Jagdalpur Airport is more than just a transport hub; it is a driver of social and economic transformation. By connecting one of India’s remotest tribal regions to national circuits, the facility is helping Bastar find a new identity on the map of modern India. In the years ahead, Maa Danteshwari Airport is poised to become a crucial center of progress, bridging the region’s rich heritage with opportunities of the future.
