Malkangiri: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DCGA) has given its nod for a flight service between Malkangiri and Visakhapatnam International Airport on the Eastern Ghats of Odisha. Pre-operation arrangements for the flight began for a nine-seater aircraft by the operator India One. If everything goes well and as planned, residents and tourists from various cities of Odisha will be able to fly to Malkangiri from the coastal city of Andhra Pradesh.
Naresh Kumar, representative of Andhra Pradesh Air Travellers’ Association, said, “We welcome the flight from Visakhapatnam to Malkangiri.” Similarly, welcoming the proposal for flights between Visakhapatnam and Malkangiri, Visakhapatnam Airport Director S Raja Reddy said, “Yes, we have received a proposal for flights from operator India One. If everything is approved, the service is scheduled to start from January 2025.”
While India One Airlines is working on operating flights soon Malkangiri airport is not yet fully operational for commercial flights.
Speaking to media persons, Malkangiri Collector Ashish Deva Patil said that Malkangiri Airport, which was officially opened on January 2024, is currently operating unscheduled flights. It can now be used only for emergency services. “There are no services like regular passenger flights here. We are currently prioritising the development of the airport’s infrastructure and tenders have also been invited. It is being estimated when the airport will be ready for scheduled flights soon,” he said.
