Manipur urges Centre to act on Imphal airfare

The Manipur government has once again raised concern over the exorbitant airfares being charged by airlines operating in the Imphal sector, urging the Centre to intervene and ensure compliance with fare-capping guidelines.
State additional chief secretary Anurag Bajpai, who holds the transport portfolio, took up the matter with the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) during a meeting chaired by the ministry’s secretary in New Delhi on November 10. The meeting was attended by senior officials, including the joint secretary and director of MoCA.
Bajpai alleged that airlines such as IndiGo, Air India Express and Alliance Air were charging five to six times higher fares compared to other North Eastern states, in violation of the Centre’s guidelines. He also highlighted that flight operations had been significantly reduced since October, causing severe hardship to the people of Manipur—particularly in the absence of rail connectivity and the unsafe road travel through conflict-hit hill districts.
He pointed out that Alliance Air had suspended services in essential sectors including Imphal–Silchar, Imphal–Aizawl and Imphal–Dibrugarh, and urged the ministry to revive these routes under the RCS UDAN scheme.
In response to earlier appeals, Air India Express had announced a fare cap of Rs 6,000 for the Imphal–Guwahati sector and committed to adding two daily flights. However, the fare remains comparatively high, prompting further representation from the state.
Bajpai also proposed the launch of international flights between Imphal and Bangkok to enhance trade and connectivity, suggesting Akasa Air and Druk Air be considered for the sector. He further urged MoCA to advise helicopter service providers to increase the number of operational machines in the state.
Currently, only one helicopter each is operated by Pawan Hans and Global Vectra Helicorp Ltd (GVHL), which has proven insufficient to meet public demand. Bajpai flagged fare disparities between the two operators, stating that Pawan Hans charges Rs 3,500 per passenger while GVHL offers the same service at Rs 2,500—contrary to the fare norms under the RCS UDAN scheme.
He suggested that Pawan Hans consider operating across all routes currently covered by GVHL to ensure equitable access. Bajpai also requested the MoCA secretary to sanction helipads at Kamjong, Senapati and Ukhrul districts as a special case to improve connectivity in remote areas.
The state government reiterated its long-pending request to rename Imphal International Airport as Bir Tikendrajit International Airport.
Over the past few months, airfares to and from Imphal have surged to unprecedented levels, causing widespread frustration among the people of Manipur. The situation has been particularly distressing for members of the Meitei community, who face safety concerns while travelling via National Highways due to ongoing unrest in the hill districts. Key routes such as NH-37 (Imphal–Silchar) and NH-39 (Imphal–Dimapur) pass through conflict-affected areas, where movement remains unsafe or completely restricted.