The question asked for “details regarding interventions by the Government to increase connectivity with GCC countries”
Indian MPs have demanded more flights between airports in the Arabian Gulf and Kozhikode in the south Indian state of Kerala.
A written question in Lok Sabha asked “whether the Government has taken note of the lack of adequate connectivity between the GCC countries and Kozhikode airport (known as Calicut International Airport)”. The question asked for “details regarding interventions by the Government to increase connectivity with GCC countries”.
Kozhikode caters to non-resident Indians (NRIs), arriving in Kerala from the Gulf and hence the demand for more flights. Kerala’s Malabar coast, of which Kozhikode is a part, also shares historical links with Arabia and Europe.
In response, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan, gave Parliament a break-up of flights between the GCC and Kozhikode airport. According to the ongoing summer schedule for this year, Kozhikode is linked to airports in the UAE by 78 weekly flights, the Minister wrote in reply.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has written to India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation asking for such direct flights
Thirty-seven of these round-trip flights are bound for Dubai, 21 to Sharjah, 18 to Abu Dhabi and two to Ras al Khaimah. In addition, Saudi Arabia has 49 weekly flights, Qatar has 22, Oman has 14, Bahrain’s share is 13 while Kuwait has five flights.
“Calicut is well-connected with each of the GCC countries,” the minister replied. The airport in Bhubaneshwar, the capital of Odisha state, has also been asking for direct flights to the UAE as the state seeks to increase its engagement with the Gulf. In fact, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has written to India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation asking for such direct flights.
However, any major increase in connectivity between India and the UAE would require a fresh look at the bilateral air services agreement, reported zawya.com. Attempts have been made to hold talks between UAE and India to enhance the number of flights.
*********************************************************************
Readers
These are extraordinary times. All of us have to rely on high-impact, trustworthy journalism. And this is especially true of the Indian Diaspora. Members of the Indian community overseas cannot be fed with inaccurate news.
Pravasi Samwad is a venture that has no shareholders. It is the result of an impassioned initiative of a handful of Indian journalists spread around the world. We have taken the small step forward with the pledge to provide news with accuracy, free from political and commercial influence. Our aim is to keep you, our readers, informed about developments at ‘home’ and across the world that affect you.
Please help us to keep our journalism independent and free.
In these difficult times, to run a news website requires finances. While every contribution, big or small, will makes a difference, we request our readers to put us in touch with advertisers worldwide. It will be a great help.
For more information: pravasisamwad00@gmail.com
