In a bid to promote intra-state air connectivity, the Assam government on Saturday signed an MoU with Big Charter Private Limited (Flybig) to facilitate air services in the non-Udaan sector. Flybig will operate flights between Guwahati-Dibrugarh-Guwahati and Guwahati-Silchar-Guwahati routes on a daily basis, an official of the company said.
Assam Tourism Development Corporation managing director Kumar Padma Pani Bora and Flybig director Sanjay Natavarlal Mandavia signed the agreement in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
According to the terms of the MoU, the flight operations will be started in line with the Centre's Udan scheme with the state government operating the flights under viability gap funding.
Speaking at the programme Sarma said the number of daily flight services will be enhanced and will add a new dimension to intra-state air connectivity. The services will give assured connectivity and price as it has been decided to keep a tab on the pricing with the maximum price fixed at Rs 4000. The new services will add new momentum to Mohanbari airport at Dibrugarh and Kumbhirgram airport at Silchar, he said.
The state government is also studying the feasibility to replicate the same services in Jorhat, Tezpur and other towns in the state, Sarma said. The chief minister said the intra-state flight services are a part of the budget proposal of the state government, he added.