Dimapur — IndiGo Airlines will begin its operation from Dimapur on April 15 with daily direct flight between Kolkata and Dimapur. The flight will be an extension of the Delhi-Dimapur flight via Kolkata.

IndiGo Airlines also announced Dimapur as its 33rd domestic and 38th overall destination, catering to various segments such as business, leisure passengers and students travelling to and from Dimapur.

Meanwhile, Nagaland Lok Sabha MP Neiphiu Rio has highlighted in the Lok Sabha the problem of poor air connectivity in the State and the Northeastern region. The MP had also taken up the matter with the Civil Aviation Ministry and the Prime Minister.

Rio informed the House that Dimapur with an operational airport since 1972 has only five flights in operation. He lamented that even these flights are shared with Dibrugarh in Assam. In November 2013, Air India had introduced Monday flight service. However, the same was discontinued, he added.

With Air India being the only airline operating in Dimapur, Rio urged upon the Civil Aviation Ministry to ensure that private airlines also extend their services to Dimapur as part of their social responsibility in the difficult areas, reported The Assam Tribune.

Despite night landing facility installed in Dimapur airport, Rio said, the Airports Authority of India has not been using it for commercial flights. It was only during the visit of the Prime Minister recently that the AAI had made use of it, he said, adding “this facility should be used for all flights.”

Rio also raised the issue of “No fly zone” en-route to Dimapur. He said it was due to this problem, flights to and from Dimapur had to take a longer route, having an adverse impact on the services, particularly the high airfares. Rio urged upon the Defence Ministry to urgently give clearance on the no fly zone for the Dimapur route.

He also sought a daily service on Delhi-Dimapur route (via Kolkata or Guwahati) and urged upon the Centre to urgently upgrade and improve Dimapur Airport.