The Indian low-cost airline IndiGo announced that it will start flight operations between Jharkhand’s Deoghar and Kolkata from July 12. The Deoghar-Kolkata flights will operate four times each week from July 12, the airline said in a statement. Aviation regulator DGCA had on June 29 granted an aerodrome licence to the newly-built airport in Jharkhand, allowing it to handle narrow-body aircraft such as A321 and B737.
The licence has been upgraded from 3C to 4C, which permits commercial operations up to Airbus 321, Boeing 737 type, and equivalent aircraft. A 3C license allows an airport to only handle regional aircraft like ATR-72. It will also facilitate easy connectivity to pilgrims coming to Baidyanath Dhaam.
Chief Strategy and Revenue Officer of IndiGo Sanjay Kumar said, "These new flights will enhance connectivity and significantly reduce transit time between Kolkata and Deoghar, from 7.5 hours to less than 1.25 hours."
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"The increased access to Deoghar -- home to Baba Baidyanath Temple, Trikuta Parvata, Rama Krishna Mission Vidyapith, and Naulakha Mandir -- will also boost religious tourism in the region," he added.
Deoghar airport will be the second airport in the state after Ranchi. Spread in a vast area of 650 acres, the design of the terminal building is inspired by the structure of Baba Baidyanath Temple. Paintings of tribal art, handicrafts, and local tourist sites are showcased in the terminal building.
(With inputs from PTI)
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