Baghel inaugurates flight services from Jagdalpur to Raipur and Hyderabad

Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], September 21 (ANI): Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday inaugurated a 72-seat regular flight service from Jagdalpur to Raipur and Hyderabad from his residence office via video conference.
Ministers, MPs, Parliamentary Secretary, MLAs, and public representatives of the Bastar region along with senior administration officials also attended the inaugural programme virtually.
In his address, Baghel said with the inauguration of air services from Jagdalpur, we have unleashed major opportunities and possibilities for the development of the Bastar division.
He mentioned in detail about various efforts made to connect Bastar through air services and said that the government has been making consistent efforts to benefit the people of Bastar with air travel services.
"Our government successfully received permission for flight services from Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), New Delhi on March 2, 2020, as a result of which Alliance Air Bastar (An associate company of Air India) has started flight services from Jagdalpur today," Baghel said.
He said it would take only one hour to reach from Bastar to Raipur and Hyderabad via a flight. And from Hyderabad, one can travel to any place in the world. Presently, it takes six hours to reach from Bastar to Raipur by road and nearly 12 hours to reach Hyderabad by road. Now in case of medical emergencies, people of Bastar will be able to reach Raipur, Vishakhapatnam, or Hyderabad via flight within an hour.
"Flight services will also promote Bastar Tourism, attracting tourists from across the world," he added. "Commencement of air services will also help in the development of the banking and telecom sector in Bastar."
He said flight services would also unleash employment opportunities in Jagdalpur. It will lead to extensive growth and expansion in employment-oriented sectors such as business, education, medical science, tourism. In the same sequence, 'Amcho Bastar Canteen' is being opened at the airport terminal. Naxal-affected families would run this canteen.
Meanwhile, Union Aviation Minister for State Hardeep Singh Puri said in his message that the commencement of air travel services will promote tourism and development in Jagdalpur, Bastar.
"Bastar art and culture has its unique identity," he Puri said.
He gave detailed information about the action plan for expansion of Raipur airport, and efforts being made to develop Jagdalpur and Ambikapur airport under Udaan Yojana. He congratulated the people of Bastar and Chhattisgarh, on behalf of Airport Authority, Air India's associate company Alliance Air, State Government. (ANI)