Dimapur, Dec. 26: Air connectivity in Nagaland has received a big boost with the inauguration of the Alliance Air ATR-42 flight service to Dimapur.

The daily flight service at the Dimapur airport was inaugurated yesterday by Nagaland chief minister S.C. Jamir in his capacity as chief guest.

Union minister for disinvestment and development of the Northeast Arun Shourie was the guest of honour.

The function was presided over by Union minister for civil aviation Syed Shahnawaz Hussain.

Nagaland Lok Sabha MP Asungba Sangtam also spoke on the occasion. State Cabinet ministers S.I. Jamir and T. Tali, too, graced the function.

With the introduction of the service, there will now be daily flights from Dimapur to Calcutta and Guwahati.

Alliance Air will also operate daily flights between Calcutta and Aizawl, Guwahati and Agartala, Lilabari, Aizawl, Silchar and Imphal as well as connect Silchar with Imphal and Agartala. With this, almost all the northeastern states will be connected.

Terming the introduction of ATR flight services in Nagaland as a Christmas gift to the region, the civil aviation minister in his presidential speech said Rs 35 crore have been sanctioned by the Centre.

He added that the Union ministry has no doubts over the sustainability of the daily ATR flight service. Hussain said the Centre would continue with such developmental activities to activate rapid growth in the region.

Disagreeing with the Union minister’s contention that “there is not enough traffic to justify introduction of daily flights to Dimapur”, the chief minister called upon the administration not to “be guided only by commercial considerations” because by providing such services, it will go a long way in making the people of far-flung areas feel that the whole country cares for them.