Sikkim: Bhaichung Bhutia demands Aviation minister to maintain air connectivity at Pakyong Airport

Hamro Sikkim Party (HSP) president Bhaichung Bhutia on October 31, met the Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia asking to ensure at least two flight operations from the state's Pakyong Airport. 

Bhutia also highlighted this issue Scindia and submitted a letter with some key demands for the people of Sikkim. 

As per an official statement, the meeting between the HSP president and Scindia was very positive, wherein, the minister assured Bhutia that he will request IndiGo to start its flight operations at Pakyong Airport.

In the letter, Bhutia also apprised the minister regarding Sikkim's air connectivity. 

On October 30, Scindia inaugurated three new flights connecting to five cities in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Mizoram. 

This development comes under the Union Ministry's UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagarik) scheme that seeks to increase air connectivity to the northeastern states. 

''As part of UDAN's International scheme, Scindia also remarked that international air routes from Agartala and Imphal would connect Chittagong in Bangladesh and Mandalay in Myanmar, respectively,'' the statement added.

Bhutia also addressed the blatant decision of the Civil Aviation Ministry to ignore and exclude Gangtok from the list of cities under UDAN's scheme of improving connectivity in the North-East. 

Since, the SpiceJet suspended its operations from Pakyong Airport till further notice. Thus, Sikkim is left with virtually no air connectivity. 

''It is a situation of grave urgency and great difficulty for commuters and reflects yet another instance of the neglect faced by Sikkim compared to other northeastern states. The current situation would pose serious inconveniences to travelers and can seriously affect Sikkim's precious tourism industry,'' the statement added. 

The current situation would pose serious inconveniences to travelers and can seriously affect Sikkim's precious tourism industry. 
Bhutia thus placed four urgent demands on scindia such as ensuring flight operations of at least two airlines from pakyong airport, the operation of at least one international flight from sikkim under the international udan scheme, overseeing the maintenance of infrastructure and services as per international standards at pakyong airport, providing announcements in nepali as well as in hindi and english at pakyong and bagdogra airports.

“Sikkim cannot be ignored and neglected. It is unfortunate that Sikkim does not find an equal place of importance. After the positive meeting, Hamro Sikkim Party hopes the Union Civil Aviation Ministry will immediately act upon these demands”, Bhutia further added in the letter to the Jyotiraditya Scindia.