Gujarat is set to become the first state in the country to offer an exclusive intra-state flight service,which will be launched by Deccan Charters Limited (DCL) on May 7. The service will connect various smaller towns in the state by daily regular flights. The concept of air connectivity between various smaller towns in Gujarat having a lot of economic activities was born during a discussion with Chief Minister Narendra Modi nearly a year ago, DCL chairman G R Gopinath told The Indian Express on Wednesday,adding that the CM suggested me to start intra-state air connectivity. The service will help people,particularly businessmen and industrialists,from places like Surat to travel by air to Bhavnagar,Jamnagar,Bhuj or Kandla in the morning and return home in the evening. Before taking a final decision,we conducted a survey and found that the project will be viable, Gopinath said. One-way fare between different destinations will range from Rs 2,500 to Rs 4,000,depending on distance. DCL officials said that initially,the company plans to inter-connect Surat,Ahmedabad,Bhavnagar,Rajkot,Jamnagar,Porbandar,Bhuj and Kandla by ATR-72 aircraft,having passenger capacity of 78. Modi will inaugurate the service by boarding the first flight from Surat to Ahmedabad on April 29 and regular flights will start from May 7,Gopinath said. Anuj Agrawal,director of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport here,said intra-state flights would give further boost to the states economy as it would provide fast travel facility to industrialists,traders and businessmen between various destinations.
