After being suspended for over three years, the flight operations from Pithoragarh’s Naini-Saini airport commenced once again today. With the resumption of operations, aviation firm Flybig will be operating a 19-seater aircraft between Dehradun and Pithoragargh three times a week, specifically on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays.
Kumaon, Garhwal regions to get closer
In his speech addressing the inaugural function, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that the recommencement of the operations will bring the Kumaon and Garhwal regions closer, adding the resumption of the services will be crucial for the strategically important border district.
The services from the airport will soon be extended to Pantnagar and then to Hindon airport in Ghaziabad.
As per Scindia, the travel time between Pithoragarh and Dehradun will be shortened from 11 hours by road to just one hour by air.
Speaking at the event in Pithoragarh, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated that the air connectivity between Dehradun and Pithoragarh will significantly enhance religious tourism in the Manaskhand region. He mentioned that the Prime Minister’s pilgrimage to Jolingkong to witness the Adi Kailash peak and Jageshwar Dham had sparked the curiosity of tourists, leading to a significant increase in visits to these relatively lesser-known religious destinations.
Dhami emphasised that the air connectivity between Dehradun and Pithoragarh will further amplify the momentum of tourist interest in these locations.
The chief minister also expressed his intention to ask Flybig to increase the frequency of air services between the two towns from three to five days per week. Additionally, he mentioned the plan to establish night landing facilities at the airport.
(With PTI inputs)