MPs flag Kolkata's lack of direct international flights, Himachal's grounded UDAN routes

New Delhi: Two Rajya Sabha members on Wednesday raised concerns over aviation connectivity in their respective states, highlighting the lack of direct international flights from Kolkata and the disruption of regional air services in Himachal Pradesh.

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Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Trinamool Congress member Saket Gokhale said that, despite Kolkata Airport serving as a gateway for West Bengal and the entire northeastern region, there are no direct flights to destinations in the US and Europe.

He said the airport handled about 25 lakh international passengers last year, registering an annual growth of 11 per cent. Foreign tourist arrivals in West Bengal have surged from 10 lakh in 2022 to 31 lakh in 2024, a three-fold increase in three years, Gokhale said.

The state now attracts the second-highest number of foreign tourists in India, with maximum visitors coming from the US, the UK and Italy, he added.

Gokhale urged the Centre to introduce a time-bound incentive package for Kolkata Airport with landing and parking rebates for 12 to 24 months, provide targeted route viability support, and reduce operational friction through increased slots and improved ground handling.

Separately, BJP member Harsh Mahajan drew attention to disruptions to air services on crucial routes in Himachal Pradesh under the UDAN Regional Connectivity Scheme.

He said air connectivity on important sectors such as Delhi-Shimla, Shimla-Dharamshala and Shimla-Amritsar has been affected due to the expiry of contracts.

Air Alliance, which operated flights on the Delhi-Shimla-Dharamshala-Delhi route for three years until September 25, 2025, discontinued the services citing high operational costs, Mahajan said.

The airline was dependent on viability gap funding provided under the scheme, and without this support, continued operations became financially unviable, he added.

Mahajan said the suspension has left Shimla airport effectively non-operational and is adversely affecting tourism and trade.

He urged the Civil Aviation Minister to restore air services at the earliest by inviting new operators or renewing the UDAN scheme agreement with existing ones.

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