UDAN International: Maiden Guwahati-Dhaka Flight From July 1

GUWAHATI: The maiden flight from Borjhar-based Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport under the UDAN (international) scheme, will be to Dhaka (Bangladesh) on July 1. The next flight will be to Bangkok (Thailand).

Informing this to The Sentinel, State Transport, Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary on Sunday said, “The Assam Government had approached the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation to include the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport under its scheme for international flights. After getting its nod, the Assam government has handed over Rs 100 crore kept in the budgetary allocation for meeting the viability gap funding to the Ministry.”

Patowary further said that the flights from Borjhar to South East Asian and BBN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal) countries will give a boost to trade, commerce, culture, and tourism in Assam. “The scheme was the thrust area of our government,” he pointed out.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has evinced interest in this scheme so as to boost both tourism and industrial investment in the State. The entire plan is to make LGBI Airport one of the international air hubs in South-East Asia. The State government has already put forward the route proposals.

Besides, Dhaka (Bangladesh) and Bangkok (Thailand), the other destinations under UDAN that will be operational from Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport are Kathmandu (Nepal), Yangon (Myanmar), Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).

The UDAN (International) Scheme of the Union ministry provides financial assistance to airlines to improve connectivity among Indian States and international destinations. The UDAN International Scheme provides a per seat subsidy of Rs 2,370 to Dhaka; Rs 2,710 to Kathmandu; Rs 4,400 to Bangkok; Rs 4,770 to Yangon; Rs 7,350 to Kuala Lumpur and Rs 7,880 to Singapore.

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