Chief Minister Urges Expansion of Air Services to Boost Tourism and Connectivity
- Requests Extension of Alliance Air Contract and New Air Routes from Bilaspur
TFP Bureau, Raipur, Oct 04, 2023: In a bid to enhance tourism and connectivity in Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has penned a letter to Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. The letter, dated October 3, 2023, highlights the importance of extending the contract period with Alliance Air for air services on the Raipur-Jagdalpur-Hyderabad route. Additionally, Chief Minister Baghel has urged the initiation of air services from Bilaspur Airport to major cities across the country. He has also emphasized the need to resume air services on the Bilaspur-Indore-Bilaspur and Bilaspur-Bhopal-Bilaspur routes.
Boosting Bastar’s Tourism and Connectivity:
Chief Minister Baghel underscored the significance of air connectivity, which has played a pivotal role in boosting tourism in Bastar and placing the region prominently on India’s tourism map. He pointed out that the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) was initiated by the government to provide affordable air services to the common people. The introduction of domestic air services from Jagdalpur and Bilaspur airports in Chhattisgarh has made inexpensive domestic air travel accessible to the state’s residents. Moreover, Chief Minister Baghel affirmed the state government’s commitment to ensuring timely payment of Viability Gap Funding (VGF) as prescribed for RCS air services.
Under the RCS scheme, Alliance Air commenced regular domestic air services on the Raipur-Jagdalpur-Hyderabad route in September 2020, using a 72-seater aircraft. This service successfully operated for three years, playing a pivotal role in bringing tribal-dominated areas like Bastar to the forefront of India’s tourism industry. The air connectivity not only boosted tourism in the region but also showcased the local culture to the entire country.
Contract Extension and New Air Services:
The contract signed with Alliance Air for operating air services on the Raipur-Jagdalpur-Hyderabad route under the RCS scheme concluded in September 2023, temporarily suspending the RCS flight service on this route. However, the state government, on its request, has managed to secure normal air services on an ad hoc basis until the company receives other profitable RCS airway/sector proposals. In case Alliance Air opts for a different profitable route, the Naxal-affected areas like Bastar will lose affordable domestic air travel options, hindering tourism and commercial activities in the region.
Chief Minister Baghel expressed the state government’s commitment to developing Bilaspur Airport into a 4C-IFR category facility. In this endeavor, the airport is undergoing lighting upgrades to meet night landing standards. Due to the increasing demand for air services from Bilaspur Airport, the state government has submitted proposals to the central government for the initiation of air services from Bilaspur to major cities and the resumption of the Bilaspur-Indore-Bilaspur and Bilaspur-Bhopal-Bilaspur routes.
A Vision for the Future:
Looking ahead, Chief Minister Baghel has requested an extension of the contract period with Alliance Air for the Raipur-Jagdalpur-Hyderabad route for an additional three years. The central government has also been urged to commence flight services from Bilaspur to major cities across the country and to resume the Bilaspur-Indore-Bilaspur and Bilaspur-Bhopal-Bilaspur routes.
In a bid to expand air services from Jagdalpur Airport to major cities, Alliance Air was approached to extend their Delhi-Jabalpur flight services to Jagdalpur, with an agreement to prepay the Viability Gap Funding (VGF). The state government has consented to the VGF payment for the Delhi-Jabalpur-Jagdalpur flight services to improve air connectivity in the Bastar region. A request has been made to the central government to provide VGF payment exemptions for proposed air services, supporting the development of tribal-dominated and culturally rich areas like Bastar.
