Silchar, June 2: The solitary Air India flight connecting Silchar to Kolkata took off for the last time on Monday morning, marking the end of the airline’s more than five-decade association with Silchar’s Kumbhirgram Airport.
Silchar MP Parimal Suklabaidya expressed concern over the suspension, especially amidst ongoing flood-related disruptions to rail and road connectivity in the region. Speaking to The Media on Monday, he said, “We raised the issue with Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, during her recent visit to Barak Valley. She assured us that the matter would be looked into promptly.” The MP also shared a silver lining, noting that Indigo Airlines is reportedly planning to launch a morning flight from Silchar to Guwahati soon. “If this materialises, it will be a positive development for the region’s air connectivity,” Suklabaidya added.
It may be recalled that on May 26, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma met with Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu in Delhi to discuss enhancing air connectivity and infrastructure, including the development of Silchar’s greenfield airport. The discussions also covered plans to improve flight connections from Jorhat, Dibrugarh, and Silchar airports to more Indian cities in the near future. Meanwhile, despite repeated attempts, representatives from Air India and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) at Silchar were unavailable for comment on the reasons behind the suspension of flights from Silchar to Kolkata.