International flight likely to start from city

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: An international flight service for Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) is likely to start from Chikalthana Airport soon.

Discussions on extending airline services from Chikalthana Airport were held in a meeting of Nagri Viman Vahtuk Samiti in Delhi on Tuesday.

Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia assured the members in the meeting of taking a positive decision on starting a direct flight to Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) from the city. Pilgrims going to perform ‘Umrah’ in Makkah and Madina will get good connectivity. MPs Praful Patel and Imtiaz Jaleel along with officers of the Airport Authority were present in the meeting.

MP Jaleel said that there is a need to reduce the rush at Mumbai Airport and start international flights to Jeddah from the city. This will help the pilgrims not just from Marathwada but also from Vidarbha for pilgrimage direct flight because of the good connectivity through Samruddhi Mahamarg.

“The Government invested crores of rupees in the development of a big airport in the city. Why does the facility not utilise fully,” he questioned.

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Demand to start flight for Dubai, Singapore

MP Jaleel also submitted a letter of travel agencies in the meeting. In the letter, it was stated the book tickets for Umrah pilgrims will be booked in advance from airlines from the city. The MP also held discussions with the secretary of the Civil Aviation Department for launching new flights for Dubai and Singapore from the city.