‘Our priority is air service to key cities’

Madhya Pradesh recently launched PM Shri Tourism Air Service and PM Shri Religious Tourism Heli Service for the pilgrims, tourists and locals. The state will be expanding air service to religious and other tourist destinations of the state on priority. After Ujjain and Omkareshwar, air service will also start for Datia, Maihar and Orchha.

TT Bureau

Madhya Pradesh is geographically a large state and equipped with road and rail transport facilities. As a step ahead, the government is now providing air transportation facilities to ensure a comfortable and time-saving journey for travellers. Speaking at the launch of PM Shri Tourism Air Service and PM Shri Religious Tourism Heli Service in Bhopal, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said that the state government will be expanding air service to religious and other tourist destinations of the state on priority. After Ujjain and Omkareshwar, the air service will also start for Datia, Mehar, Orchha, he added.

Madhya Pradesh will get wings

Dharmendra Singh Lodhi, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Culture, Tourism, Religious Trusts & Endowments, said that with the vision and guidance of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, Madhya Pradesh is getting ‘PM Shri Tourism Air Service’ and ‘PM Shri Religious Tourism Heli Service’ as a unique gift. This will undoubtedly provide wings to the state tourism. To make sure the air travel is safe, two twin-engine aircraft are being operated for the very first time. Tourists, devotees, and common citizens will be able to reach from one city to another in a short time at affordable rates. Not just this, remote areas of the state will be added to the tourism map, which will benefit the localites as new employment opportunities will be generated.

Air service will be operational in two months

Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Principal Secretary, Tourism and Culture Department & Managing Director, MP Tourism Board, said that a contract has been signed with an organisation named Flyola Aviation for the smooth operation of PM Shri Tourism Air Service. As per this contract, the operator will be responsible for the selection of flight routes, establishment of ticket counters, local staff selection and training, etc. within two months. After this, regular operation of services will begin. Two 8-seater twin-engine aircraft will connect the major airports, including Indore, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Bhopal, and Khajuraho, as well as other smaller airports.

With PM Shri Religious Tourism Heli Service the access of devotees to the spiritual places of Madhya Pradesh will become easy. Devotees, especially the elderly and disabled, will be able to easily reach the two Jyotirlingas of the state, Ujjain and Omkareshwar, and other religious places. Under this service, there will be one twin-engine helicopter and two single-engine helicopters. One twin-engine helicopter will operate from Bhopal and one single-engine helicopter each in Indore and Ujjain. Online bookings could be possible through the Madhya Pradesh Tourism portal, MakeMyTrip, and Agoda.

An Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has also been signed between the tourism board and Flyola Aviation for the operation of PM Shri Tourism Air Service on the Jhabua, Khargone and Mandla airstrips.