New Flights from Gwalior to Ayodhya, Bengaluru & Delhi: Scindia

Gwalior, Jan 16 (PTI) Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday said it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to enhance India's economic and spiritual strengths through world- class connectivity as he launched new flights linking Gwalior to three cities, including Ayodhya.
He said air connectivity from Madhya Pradesh, his home state, has improved vastly since 2014.
"This is a new beginning for all of us. This is the vision of the Prime Minister to highlight and enhance economic and spiritual strengths of India through world-class connectivity," Scindia said while virtually addressing a programme on the occasion of launch of daily flights connecting Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh to Ayodhya, Bengaluru and Delhi.
Scindia launched these Air India Express flights along with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who joined the event virtually from Chitrakoot.
The civil aviation minister said Gwalior is now connected by air with six cities - Delhi, Hyderabad, Indore, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Ayodhya and has 33 weekly flight movements.
He thanked Air India Express, a subsidiary of Air India, for connecting Gwalior with Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Delhi.
Referring to the under-construction terminal building at the Gwalior airport, coming up at an estimated cost of Rs 500 crore, Scindia said it will be completed in a record time of 16 months and will give a boost to air connectivity and economic growth of the region.
He said the terminal that is to be completed in the next few days will be spread across 2 lakh square feet and help meet the futuristic demands of the region.
Talking about development of the aviation sector in Madhya Pradesh, Scindia said before 2014, the state had air connectivity with only 13 cities, but now the number has gone up to 31.
Additionally, two international destinations -- Dubai and Sharjah -- were also connected from Madhya Pradesh after 2014, said the Rajya Sabha MP.
Similarly, Madhya Pradesh had only 540 aircraft movements per week before 2014, but now that number has gone up to more than 1,000, said the Union minister.
The government is also building a new terminal at Jabalpur at a cost of more than Rs 425 crore and developing the Rewa airport so that ATR aircraft (designed for shorter regional flights) could land there. A new airport in coming up at Datia and a new airfield is being built in Satna, he said.
The government has set up three new Flying Training Organisations in Madhya Pradesh, including Asia's first helicopter training institute in Khajuraho, taking the number of FTOs to 6 in the state, said Scindia.
Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Road Transport and Highways General V K Singh (retd) said the inauguration of these routes underscores the government's commitment to making air travel more accessible and convenient for citizens.
In his address, Chief Minister Yadav suggested starting air ambulance services from each district of the state for providing better healthcare facilities to people in reputed medical institutions.
He said expansion of air services leads to growth in tourism and all kinds of economic activities.