Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 10: Minister for Urban Development and Urban Local Bodies, Nawang Rigzin Jora today sought the intervention of Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Ajit Singh in keeping check on extraordinary high fare on Delhi-Leh flights and increasing frequency of Air India flights on this sector.
In a communiqué addressed to the Civil Aviation Minister, Mr Jora said, “the air fare on Delhi-Leh sector remains extraordinary high despite the fact that I had brought this issue to the Minister’s notice in the month of February last year”, adding “the fare between Delhi and many international destinations like Bangkok and Singapore with much higher flight duration is around Rs 10,000 while as on Delhi-Leh sector it is more than Rs 20,000”.
The fare has become unaffordable for the people of Ladakh, which remains cut off from the rest of the world for six months during the winters and air connectivity is the only mean of transportation, Mr Jora said, adding withdrawal of services by the Kingfisher Airlines on the Delhi-Leh sector has further added to the burden of common people. Moreover, Air India has reduced the frequency of flights from two flights per day to three flights per week.
“Not only this has increased economic burden on the common people but can also have a devastating impact on the forthcoming tourist season which is the mainstay of the Ladakh’s economy”, he said.
Mr Jora has requested the Civil Aviation Minister to fix a cap/ceiling for the maximum amount of fare on this sector, which is affordable to the common people and proportionate to the length and duration of the flight. He has further appealed the Minister for increasing the frequency of Air India flights on this sector to at least one flight per day.
“The private aviation companies like SpiceJet or Indigo should be asked to operate on the Delhi-Leh sector to make up the loss of capacity created by closure of Kingfisher Airline”, Mr Jora said.
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