Amritsar-Nanded flight connecting 2 Sikh shrines suspended, yet again

Amritsar, May 1

Air India’s Amritsar-Nanded flight connecting two major Sikh shrines has been suspended again. The flight had resumed after protest from Sikh devotes and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) around six months back. Now, Air India has stopped taking advance bookings for Amritsar-Nanded flight on its web portal.

Earlier, the flight was cancelled on September 30, 2021. The move was opposed by the SGPC and the then Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi also intervened in the matter.

Bibi Jagir Kaur, who was the SGPC president then, and Channi had written to Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. After suspension of three months, the flight had resumed on November 24 2021. Now again Air India has stopped this flight.

“The flight was operational once a week up to winter schedule that ends in the last week of March. In the summer schedule, it has been discontinued. Air India has ceased operations in Nanded. Hence, flights from Amritsar, Delhi and Chandigarh to Nanded stand suspended till further notice,” said Yogesh Kamra, convener of the FlyAmritsar Initiative.

“The Ministry of Civil Aviation should make a permanent effort with an incentive scheme for airlines to connect these holy cities,” Kamra said.