An aeroplane takes off from Dimapur airport. (Morung File Photo)
First direct flight between Dimapur-Shillong takes off
Morung Express News
Dimapur | November 22
The first direct flight connecting Nagaland commercial capital Dimapur and Meghalaya capital Shillong was flagged off by the Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Aviation Minister, Jyotiraditya M Scindia on November 22.
The flight, being operated by Alliance Air, a wholly owned subsidiary of Air India Limited, will operate from Guwahati to Shillong and onwards to Dimapur and back.
The Airport Authority of India (AII) informed in a tweet that the inauguration was part an event to mark the launching of UDAN Scheme, the Government of India’s Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), which among others, is aimed at develop smaller regional airports to allow common citizens easier access to aviation services.
As per the flight booking information available on the Air India’s website, Dimapur and Shillong, as of now, will be connected 4 days a week – Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, both ways.
From Dimapur, the departure is at 2:50 PM on each flight day to arrive at AAI’s Barapani (Shillong) Airport at 3:40 PM, exactly taking 50 minutes.
Likewise, the flight from Shillong will depart at 1:30 PM to reach the AAI’s Dimapur Airport at 2:20.
A passenger who was part of the inaugural flight informed that apart from slight delay, everything went smoothly and it took 50 minutes to traverse between the two destinations.
As per the website, till December 31, 2021, tickets were available with prices ranging from Rs 1,700-2302 Dimapur-Shillong flights.
The fares for ‘returned journey’ from Shillong were bit lower, and available for bookings from Rs 1300- 1887.
The flight schedule may change in the coming days.
Earlier on November 17, the Minister on tweet informed that the connection of Guwahati to Shillong and then to Dimapur” was as per the “resolution of the Prime Minister.”
“The Government is committed to make efforts towards ensuring socio-economic development in the North East of India by facilitating regional connectivity,” he then added.
As per the AAI, out of 109 awarded routes, 75 RCS routes are currently operational by Alliance Air under UDAN scheme.
