Dehradun to Get Direct Air Connectivity to Kathmandu in Nepal

Dehradun Jolly Grant Airport, situated in North India is expected to be connected to the capital of Nepal, Kathmandu. The State Government of Uttarakhand is searching for air operators to operate this route. The government is utilizing the International Air Connectivity Scheme (IACS) to establish this connection.

Dehradun to Receive Kathmandu Connectivity

Dehradun Airport is currently a domestic airport. The state government has already started the process of receiving international status for this airfield. Furthermore, the State has also issued Requests for Proposal (RFP) from airlines to operate non-stop flights between Dehradun and Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM). The Central Government of India is backing this initiative of the State Government.

 

Uttarakhand, also known as Dev Bhoomi shares similar cultures and heritage with Nepal and its capital city, Kathmandu. If established, this route will bolster the ties between both regions. This will enable tourists to explore new opportunities for cultural and commercial knots.

Contract Details

In the Requests for Proposal (RFP) floated by the State Government, it has said the selected airline will have to operate the flight between Dehradun and Kathmandu, at least three times a week. The state will offer subsidies to the airline to mitigate any potential losses. There will be no fare restriction from the government side. The airline will self-regulate the fare prices, based on demand and supply.

A minimum 70-seater aircraft should be deployed on this route. ATR 72, Airbus A320, or Boeing 737 will work. Once the airline is selected for the route operations, it should start operations within 2 months. This contract will remain live for a period of one year initially. There will be provisions for further extension.

 

Interested airlines will place their bids based on the Viability Gap Funding requirement per seat. The airline with the lowest VGF will win the bid and get this route as an award. Only established players with favorable track record will be selected. In India, the domestic airlines eligible for this RFP are IndiGo, Air India, Alliance Air, SpiceJet, Akasa Air, Air India Express, and Vistara.

Out of these, IndiGo, Alliance Air, and SpiceJet are the only airlines with turboprops. Star Air and FlyBig could not make it to this list as they are not eligible for international operations as per the 20 aircraft rule.

Bolstering Tourism

The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand is very interested to see Dehradun get Nepal connectivity. Nepal embraces both Hindu and Buddhist traditions, making it a unique place.

 

The number of foreign inbound tourists in India has not recovered from the pandemic. In 2019, number of tourists visiting India was 1.1 crore. In 2022, this number was 62 lakhs and 92.4 lakhs in 2023. The government is trying its best to recover from the pandemic. It is actively encouraging airlines to enhance international air links and build new tourism circuits.

Dehradun is currently connected to 11 Indian cities. IndiGo, Vistara, and Alliance Air are the only airlines operating from this airport.

 

The Uttarakhand Government is not the first one to subsidize international routes. Earlier, the Government of Odisha did exactly the same to connect Bhubaneswar to three major international destinations- Dubai, Singapore, and Bangkok. IndiGo launched these subsidized flights and they are doing well. Uttarakhand Government can replicate the same.

A source in the know told Times of India that aviation is priority for the government and will receive utmost attention. 

Which airline do you think will start this route? Discuss in the comment section.

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