Maiden commercial service by ‘Made in India’ aircraft connects Assam & Arunachal

GUWAHATI: In a boost to air traffic in the north east with the rest of India, the first commercial service by a ‘Made in India’ aircraft connected Dibrugarh in Assam and Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday

Published on: Apr 13, 2022, 08:49:02 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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GUWAHATI: In a boost to air traffic in the north east with the rest of India, the first commercial service by a ‘Made in India’ aircraft connected Dibrugarh in Assam and Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday.

Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia boards the Dornier-228 aircraft on its maiden commercial flight from Dibrugarh in Assam to Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday. (TWITTER)

The 17-seater Dornier 228 aircraft, manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), is one of only two leased by public sector enterprise Alliance Air to connect Dibrugarh with five places in Arunachal Pradesh – Pasighat, Ziro, Tezu, Mechuka and Tuting – as part of Centre’s UDAN initiative.

“Overjoyed and proud to embark on the 17-seater ‘Made in India’ Dornier 228 aircraft in its first ever maiden service,” Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who was among the first passengers, tweeted.

“This will connect the airstrips of Arunachal Pradesh with Assam, and soon with other regions. Indeed, a new chapter in India’s ‘Look East’ policy,” he added. Union law and justice minister Kiren Rijiju, who’s from Arunachal Pradesh, was also present on the occasion.

HAL has been manufacturing the Dornier aircraft after the transfer of technology from the German firm. This is the first time that the only civil aircraft made in India is being used for commercial purposes to ferry passengers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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