Alliance Air starts direct flight service between Mumbai and Keshod, Gujarat

Keshod airport was established in 1930 by the then Nawab of Junagadh, but it remained unused for decades until Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to revive it.

Alliance Air

Jyotiraditya Scindia, India's Civil Aviation Minister, announced on 14th April that his government was working to increase the connection between Gujarat and Mumbai and as part of the RCS-UDAN program of the centre. Keshod, in the Junagadh district of Gujarat, had just opened its improved airport, and an Alliance Air flight from Mumbai had just taken off.

Keshod airport was set up by the then Nawab of Junagadh in 1930 but was lying unused for decades before Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to revive it. Airports Authority of India (AAI) has revived Keshod Airport at a cost of Rs 25 crore, and the first flight would be to Mumbai, with Scindia saying that Keshod will soon be linked to Ahmedabad as well.

"In the coming days, we plan to provide maximum connectivity to Gujarat," Scindia said at the programme attended by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and State Civil Aviation Minister Purnesh Modi.

"When on March 27, I announced the summer schedule, three new flights from Ahmadabad, to Amritsar, Agra, and Ranchi, were announced. At the same time, we have connected Porbandar and Rajkot with Mumbai. We are connecting every corner of Gujarat with the country's financial capital," he added.

He said two greenfield airports will be developed in Gujarat, with an annual capacity of 25 lakh and 30 lakh passengers respectively. Besides two new greenfield airports, five new flights, and flights from Mumbai and Ahmedabad to Keshod, Scindia said his ministry was meeting the demands of the CM and the state civil aviation minister.

From April 27, a flight connecting Porbandar with New Delhi will start operating, Scindia announced. The Union civil aviation ministry had taken steps that were not taken in 75 years of the country and had "democratized" flights by making it affordable for even common people to board them, Scindia said.

With inputs from PTI