NORTH LAKHIMPUR, Nov 30 - The Lilabari airport in North Lakhimpur will have more connectivity and regular flights. This was stated by WA Ansari, Manager, Airports Authority of India, at Leelabari here on Tuesday. He made this announcement during a meeting with Lakhimpur Deputy Commissioner Barun Bhuyan and District Chambers of Commerce president Uday Shankar Hazarika at the Deputy Commissioner�s office, North Lakhimpur.
Ansari said that a new flight between Lilabari and New Delhi would soon be introduced besides upgrading the present �four days a week� flight service between Kolkata and Lilabari via Guwahati to �all days a week�. He also said that the Lilabari airport would call for e-tender for eateries and refreshment services as well as for car parking services soon.
It may be recalled that Lilabari airport has been in use for civil aviation since 1952, where Indian Airlines operated regular flights from Kolkata via Rowriah (Jorhat) and Mohanbari till late 1980s. But the airport went through a lean phase thereafter until it was upgraded with a longer runway and passenger terminal in 2003. Now Air India�s Kshetriya service has been providing ATR services since 2014. However, with an important State capital Itanagar, situated within an hour�s drive, the Lilabari airport can accommodate passengers from neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh so that they can travel to any part of the country. Larger aircraft like Boeing and Airbus can operate from this airport and routes like Imphal-Lilabari-Guwahati and beyond can be operated from here.
