Chhattisgarh CM Baghel writes to Civil Aviation Minister Scindia for including Bilaspur city in UDAN-5 scheme

Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], June 11 : Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday wrote a letter to the Union Civil Aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia requesting him to take prompt action to add Bilaspur city to the UDAN-5 scheme.

The Chief Minister has written in the letter that he has received information that the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation has not included Bilaspur city in the UDAN-5 scheme.

"The people of Bilaspur Zone are disappointed because of this decision by the Central Government," he said.

CM Baghel further mentioned in the letter that Bilaspur is the second-most important city in the state.

"Moreover, the location of the High Court of the state in Bilaspur necessitates regular air service facilities here," the letter read.

The Chief Minister has also written in the letter that the state government, in consultation with the DGCA and the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, had spent 45 crores from the state budget to ensure arrangements for the terminal building, runway expansion, arrangement of security equipment, etc. for starting regular air service at Bilaspur Airport.

"Because of the consistent efforts of the state government, Bilaspur was connected to the country's air link, and services were started from the city to Jabalpur, New Delhi, Prayagraj, Indore, etc. The number of passengers on all the flights arriving to and departing from Bilaspur was promising. However, for unknown reasons, the flight service to Indore was stopped," the letter mentioned.

In the letter, Chief Minister CM Baghel has requested the Civil Aviation Minister Scindia to take immediate action to add Bilaspur city to the UDAN-5 scheme so that people of the region can travel to other parts of the country, contributing to the economic development of the region as well, the statement said.