Amravati airport set for commercial operations from tomorrow

Union Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu will flag off the inaugural flight under the Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) regional connectivity programme in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other state and Civil Aviation ministry officials.

According to sources, all 72 seats for the first flight were booked by Tuesday, well before the launch. The fare per person is Rs 2,100, ensuring affordable travel for a larger segment of the population.

After the first flight, Alliance Air will have regular flights between Amravati and Mumbai on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. “Mumbai flights will leave at 2.30 pm and reach Amravati by 4.20 pm. The return flight will leave Amravati at 4.50 pm and arrive in Mumbai at 6.35 pm,” a spokesperson for Alliance Air told The Indian Express.

Located 15 kilometers from Amravati, Belora airport is constructed by the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) to meet the air connectivity requirements of Amravati and neighbouring Vidarbha districts with a new 1,800×50 meter runway and safety features like the Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI).

MADC vice-chairperson and Managing Director Swati Pandey inspected the facility last week and called the launch “a new era” for Maharashtra’s aviation sector. “The airport was first developed in 1992 for non-scheduled operations. With UDAN funding and state support, we have transformed it into a fully operational commercial hub,” she said.

The airport will become a multi-purpose facility with South Asia’s largest pilot training academy — Air India’s Flying Training Organisation (FTO) — with 34 aircraft by the end of 2025, and the soon-to-be-completed 1,000-acre PM MITRA Mega Textile Park expected to draw global investment, create jobs, and benefit farmers, traders, and tourists through improved connectivity.

Besides trade, the airport will also increase connectivity to tourist spots such as the Melghat Wildlife Sanctuary and the Ambadevi Temple in Amravati.