Lok Sabha Question No. 804 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-21
Subject: Improvement of Air Connectivity in North Eastern Region
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Kirit Premjibhai Solanki

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 804

(To be answered on the November 2019) 21st

## IMPROVEMENT OF AIR CONNECTIVITY IN NORTH EASTERN REGION

## 804. DR. (PROF.) KIRIT PREMJIBHAI SOLANKI

## Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIA TION

be pleased to state:-

- (a) the details %f steps taken by the Government to improve air connectivity in the North Eastern Region of the country;
- (c) whether any steps have been taken to operate international flights from this
- (b) whether flight operations under the UDAN scheme has taken a back seat if s0, the facts thereof;
- (d) the current status %f international flights that operate from the airports of North East India along with north east and Gujarat connectivity?

## ANSWER

## Minister of State (IC) in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION

(Shri Hardeep Singh Puri)

- (2) and (): Government has launched Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) on 21.10.2016 to facilitatelstimulate regional air connectivity by making it affordable RCS UDAN is a market driven mechanism. Development Of regional air connectivity routes is left to market forces and airlines undertake assessment of demand and nature %f supply required on particular routes and lead the process under RCS UDAN: States of North Eastern Region have been included as Priority Area(s) in the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik): Helicopter services have also been included in the scheme for better connectivity Of Priority Area(s). For Priority RCS Routes; the number of RCS Flights to be operated in a week with Viability Funding (VGF) shall be a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of fourteen (14) departures per week from the same RCS Airport $ that the RCS Flights are operated on at least three (3) days of the week: The details of the flight operations in the States of Mizoram; Meghalaya, Tripura and Tezpur in Assam are as follows: Gap

Meghalaya Implementing Agency has awarded RCS route between Shillong &

Mizoram Aizawl airport in Mizoram is a served airport Therefore, RCS flight could be operated from Mizoram to other RCS airports only. However, Implementing Agency has awarded Aizawl Agartala Aizaw] route under Tourism RCS.

Kolkata and Shillong & Guwahati River Front (Water Aerodrome)

Tezpur in Assam RCS routes between Kolkata & Tezpur\_ were awarded to Jorhat & Nagaon have been awarded to Selected Airline Operators

Tripura Kailashahar; Kamalpur & Khowai are available in list of Unserved flights from these airports.

(c) and (d): On reguest %f State Government of Assam; UDAN International has been launched. The\_bidding process for routes connecting Guwahati to Toutes were awarded to SAO for %peration of flights under UDAN International The financial support is provided by the concerned State Government; Government of India would facilitate the inailetoenetation %f UDAN International Scheme to enhance air connectivity from Awards has been issued to Selected airiine and that airline commenced Guwealeati Dhaka sector from Ist July 2019 but same was stopped due tor non-availability of passengers on this sector. Due to non-compliance of SAO Agreement; routes between Guwahati & Bangkok has been cancelled

As per Winter Schedule 2019 approved by Directorate General of Civil Aviation @GCA); following internationai flights are operating tolfrom North Eastern Region:

Airline

Route

Druk Air

Paro Bagdogra Bangkok and vice-versa Frepeenveck

Paro Guwahati and vice-versa 2 per week

Paro Guwahati Singapore and vice-versa 2 per week

Nok Air Bangkok Guwahati and vice-versa 2

week per

As per Winter Schedule 2019 approved by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), following flights are operating between North Eastern Region and Gujarat:

Airline

Route

SpiceJet   Ahmedabad

Bagdogra and vice-versa

IndiGo

Ahmedabad

Bagdogra and vice-versa

7 per week

Ahmedabad

Guwahati and vice-versa

7 per week