In a major boost to air connectivity in the region, three flights connecting five cities of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur and Mizoram has been inaugurated union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. A flight connecting Imphal and Aizawl under Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) UDAN will operate five times a week, while a flight connecting Shillong and Lilabari will operate four times a week. A flight connecting Lilabari and Ziro will operate twice a week.
Mr Scindia also announced that under the International UDAN, two new routes, Agartala to Chittagong and Imphal to Mandalay will be operationalised which will expand the scope of air connectivity in the northeastern states from national to the international level. He said, the enhanced aerial connectivity in the mountainous cities of the five states of northeastern part of the country will play a vital role in creating the ease of living for the residents of region and boosting tourism and trade. Mr Scindia further said that the government has given special emphasis on air connectivity for the northeastern region. In the last eight years, seven airports have been developed in the region, he said.
