Low-cost carrier IndiGo on Friday announced that it will launch the Kolkata-Deoghar flight service on July 12.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the Deoghar airport, constructed across 657 acres at a cost of Rs 401 crore, on the same day.
The new airport has a 2,500-metre-long runway, which can handle the landing and takeoff of Airbus A320 planes, besides a 5,130 square feet terminal building and six check-in counters that can cater to 200 passengers at a time.
With Shravani Mela kicking off next week, the service will be of much help to the lakhs of devotees that come from across the nation to offer prayers at Baba Baidyanath Temple – one of the 51 Shakti Peethas, officials said.
IndiGo, in a statement, said, "In line with its commitment to enhance domestic connectivity, IndiGo, India's leading airline, today announced the launch of its 74th domestic and 99th overall destination. The airline will commence exclusive flights between Kolkata-Deoghar, effective July 12, 2022.”
The new service, to be available four days in a week, will enhance connectivity in the region, it maintained.
Sanjay Kumar, chief strategy and revenue officer, IndiGo, said, “We are pleased to announce Deoghar as the 74th destination on the 6E network. These new flights will enhance connectivity and significantly reduce transit time between Kolkata and Deoghar, from 7.5 hrs to less than 1.25 hrs.
“The increased access to Deoghar -- home to Baba Baidyanath Temple, Trikuta Parvata, Rama Krishna Mission Vidyapith and Naulakha Mandir -- will also boost religious tourism in the region."
The route will strengthen accessibility to Kolkata from places such as Giridih, Jasidih, Madhupur and Dumka in Jharkhand and Bhagalpur, Munger, Banka & Jamui in Bihar.
“From July 14, the flights will operate four days in a week -- Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday,” the statement said.
The aircraft will be departing from Kolkata at 2.55 pm to arrive in Deoghar at 16.15 pm. The return flight is scheduled to take off at 4.35 pm from the pilgrim town, it added.
Kumar said the airline will strive to consistently provide courteous and hassle-free service at affordable fares, across its network.
