Arunachal to get three new air routes by October, announces Civil Aviation Minister

Arunachal Pradesh is set to enhance its air connectivity with the addition of three new air routes by October this year. Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on September 24 announced this development, which is part of the government's UDAN-5 scheme aimed at bolstering connectivity in the region.

The new flight services will connect:
1.    Itanagar and New Delhi
2.    Itanagar and Jorhat in Assam
3.    Ruksin in East Siang district and Itanagar

These routes are expected to provide easier access to aviation services for the citizens of Arunachal Pradesh.As part of this initiative, the aviation minister inaugurated several key infrastructure projects at Tezu Airport. These include an extended runway, a new apron, a new terminal building, a fire station, and an ATC (Air Traffic Control) Tower. The development of these facilities amounted to an investment of Rs 170 crore.

Tezu Airport, spread across 212 acres of land, has been upgraded to accommodate ATR-72 type aircraft. Currently, it offers regular scheduled flights to Dibrugarh, Imphal, and Guwahati via Alliance Air and Flybig Airlines. The airport's capacity is set to increase, and it will have a peak-hour capacity for up to 300 passengers. The number of check-in counters will also be expanded from five to eight in the near future.