Senior Tripura CPI (M) MLA writes to Scindia over the steep rise in airfare

Guwahati: Senior CPI (M) MLA Jitendra Choudhury has written to Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, urging him to take immediate steps to control the steep rise in airfare between Kolkata and Agartala.

 Chaudhury said the airfare between Kolkata and Agartala has reached an “unprecedented high” of Rs 17,000.

He added, “This is particularly distressing given that many of our citizens rely on the more advanced healthcare facilities available in Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and New Delhi. The prohibitive cost of air travel is a significant obstacle for them, effectively denying access to essential health service,” he wrote in the letter on Thursday.

“A reduction in airfare will not only alleviate financial stress but also potentially save lives by facilitating access to critical healthcare and other passengers of low-income groups,” he added.

Chaudhury sought the aviation minister’s immediate intervention in the matter and urged him to take steps to make air travel affordable for the people.

Low-cost carrier IndiGo withdrew two flights on the Agartala-Kolkata route in April, leading to a steep hike in the prices of tickets, an official of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said.

The two flights are likely to be re-introduced in August, he said.