Northern states plan airline

Kavita K Bhaskaran

New Delhi, Dec 9: The Northern states are planning to set up a consortium to start a regional airline that will connect new destinations in the region. Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh are negotiating with Jagson Airlines, which is operating in various tourist spots in Himachal Pradesh and UP.

Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah told this newspaper, “we (Northern states) are planning to set up a consortium to start a regional airline to link various cities that are not yet connected by air.”

“The focus will also be on connecting tourist spots and increasing the frequency of flights to areas like Ladakh which is already connected but could do with more flights,” he said, adding, “a regional airline, besides increasing tourism, will also mean employment generation in these areas.”

He also said Jagson Airlines had approached him for partnering the proposed regional airline venture.

Mr Abdullah also said, “when new areas are connected by an airline initially it may not draw in much crowd and will make losses. It is here where the states have a role to play.”

The J&K chief minister has said the Northern states will step in and subsidise the cost and the initial losses till the airline stabilises and travel picks up.