IndiGo to begin services in 8 new routes; will enhance connectivity

“Out of these new connections, Bhopal-Udaipur flight will be an RCS route and will increase accessibility between the states,” the company said in a release.

Sanjay Kumar, Chief Strategy and Revenue Officer of the airline affirmed that that company was pleased to announce flights on new domestic routes between seven states with an aim to enhance connectivity and accessibility between the domestic routes.

On 18 October, the airline also conducted a successful test landing at Hollongi Airport, also called Donyi Polo Airport. The foundation stone for the greenfield airport was laid in 2019. It will serve Itanagar, capital of Arunachal Pradesh, and is situated around 14 km south of the city centre. The airport has been built to handle narrow-body aircraft which can carry 180-200 passengers.

“The critical works required for operating the airport are complete. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the airport but a date has not been fixed yet. We expect a boost for the tourism sector with the commencement of flights from this airport,” an official said.

IndiGo is likely to connect Itanagar with Guwahati and Kolkata, and there is also a possibility of a direct flight between Delhi and Itanagar in the months to come, another official said. Indore-based regional airline flybig is also likely to commence flights between Itanagar and Guwahati once the airport becomes operational, he added.

“NorthEast is of strategic importance to us. IndiGo remains one of the few carriers who have achieved successful expansion in the northeast over and above merely adding service because of Route Dispersal Guidelines mandates,” Abhijit DasGupta, head of network planning at IndiGo, told Mint.

“Hollongi is certainly high on our priority list. We are evaluating economic and operational factors and will make appropriate announcements when we have completed this assessment,” he added.