Steep fall in travellers’ count to Nanded by air

Just five months since the Adampur domestic airport has become functional and Star Air started flights on the Adampur-Hindon-Nanded circuit, the viability of the flight has started becoming a major issue.

While initially the response to the flight remained good with the 76-seater Embraer plane going to almost full capacity, the bookings have started falling with half of the seats remaining unoccupied. People of the region have been claiming that since the airfare is too high, only the upper class families can afford it.

Can’t afford a return ticket

We have a plan to go to Nanded Sahib around October, but cannot afford to and fro fare for our family of four members. The one-way ticket charges vary between ~ 9,000-~10,000. If we are to go and return by air, we will end up spending ~80,000 only on travel which we can't afford. Kirandeep Kaur, Hoshiarpur resident

“We too intend to go to Nanded Sahib around October holidays, but cannot afford to and fro fare for our family of four. The one-way ticket charges vary between Rs 9,000-Rs 10,000. If we all are to go and return by air, we will end up spending Rs 80,000 only on travel which we can’t afford,” said Kirandeep Kaur, a Hoshiarpur resident.

For many like her, train travel is far cheaper even though it takes a much time. “There is a daily train facility from Jalandhar to Nanded Sahib. Though it takes 32 hours to reach the destination, it is much more affordable, especially if the entire family is to go there. The second AC ticket charges are close to Rs 2,000 for one side. So, the cost comes down five times, even though the travel time increases by three days”, said Gurinder Singh, a schoolteacher in Jalandhar.

According to Jalandhar Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi, a bigger problem with the flight is the fact that it connects Jalandhar with Hindon first before proceeding to Nanded.

“Flyers from Jalandhar would like to land at IGI Airport, Delhi, instead of going towards Hindon in Ghaziabad. I will write to the Civil Aviation Ministry soon to correct the circuit and make the flight from here land at IGI Airport. More flights can be added for Bengaluru and Srinagar as per the demand of the Doaba people”, he said.

Siddhartha Sharma, a business leader from Jalandhar, said, “I have been off and on going to Delhi for my work. About three years ago, when the Adampur airport was connected with Delhi, I was a frequent flyer. Hindon becomes off route for many like me. So, these days my first preference is to take Vande Bharat train by which I land in Delhi at 1:30 pm. On days when I have to reach the capital early in the day, I prefer Shatabdi.”