Imphal-Dimapur direct flight service takes off

Our Correspondent Imphal, Dec. 7 (EMN): Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh-led ministers and officials inaugurated the much-awaited Imphal-Dimapur direct flight service, which connects Guwahati at Bir Tikendrajit International Airport, 7 km south of Imphal on Saturday, November 7.

Speaking at the inaugural function, Singh expressed happiness over the launch of the Imphal-Dimapur flight service operated by Alliance Air, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Air India. He said that such flight service would further strengthen the friendly relations between the state of Nagaland and Manipur.

Asserting that the flight service would be operational thrice a week, he said the Alliance Air has promised to operate daily flight service between Imphal and Dimapur in the next 2-3 months.

Public Health Engineering department Minister Losii Dikho, Fisheries Minister N Kayasii, Chairman of Tourism Corporation of Manipur Limited Dr. Sapam Ranjan, Chief Secretary Dr. J Suresh Babu, Commissioner Transport M Harekrishna, Director Transport Mercina Panmei, CEO of Alliance Air CS Subbiah and others attended the inaugural function.

The flight service was launched as part of expanding Regional Connectivity Scheme route under the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme which was launched on October 21, 2016 to stimulate regional air connectivity and make air travel affordable to the masses.

The 70-seater flight from Dimapur (to Imphal), which will operate thrice a week — Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays — is significant as the township is the gateway to Nagaland which features the only airport and railway station in the state, sources said. With the addition of Dimapur and Imphal to its list of destinations, there will be 59 stations in Alliance Air’s ambit in the country, sources added.

Later, the CM-led Cabinet Ministers and officials inspected the preparations being made for the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe at Maibam Lokpa Ching, also known as Red Hill in Bishnupur district. Modi and Abe are likely to visit Manipur on December 17.

Oinam MLA Radhakishore, Chief Secretary Dr. Suresh Babu, Additional Chief Secretaries, Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners of Imphal West and Bishnupur district top civil and police officers accompanied the chief minister during the inspection.