Rupsi Airport Takes Off Again
Flight operations from Rupsi Airport to Kolkata and Guwahati have resumed after nearly a year, offering a crucial boost to regional connectivity in western Assam. The service, operated by Alliance Air under the UDAN scheme, promises to benefit students, professionals, and patients while enhancing the local economy.
After nearly a year of waiting and a fair amount of grumbling, flights from Rupsi Airport have finally resumed, bringing much relief to the good folk of Dhubri and beyond. On Thursday, the first planes once again took to the skies, linking Kolkata and Guwahati, with a convenient pit stop at Rupsi. The restart of these flights was rather ceremoniously kicked off by Cabinet Minister Urkhao Gwra Brahma, who, as is tradition, lit a ceremonial lamp to mark the occasion. One imagines the lamp was brighter than the prospects seemed last year when Fly Big abruptly grounded its flights, leaving everyone in a bit of a muddle.
Now, thanks to Alliance Air swooping in under the UDAN scheme, the skies over western Assam have become a tad busier. The flights, for now, are set to operate thrice a week—on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays—though there’s talk of upping the frequency to five times a week once the service hits its stride. You know how it goes: once the planes get a taste of the skies, it’s hard to keep them grounded.
Sandeep Patil, officer-in-charge at Rupsi Airport, couldn’t have been prouder. According to him, the resumption is nothing short of a godsend for students, business professionals, and patients, all of whom had been left without a quick way to get to the big cities. “It’s been a long time coming,” he quipped, no doubt reflecting the sentiment of many a weary traveller who had to rely on buses and trains during the service hiatus.
It’s not just about convenience either. This little airstrip, originally built during the British era, has had quite the makeover recently. A cool ₹100 crore refurbishment under the UDAN-2 and UDAN-4 schemes has given it a fresh lease on life, making it fit for the modern age. The new 72-seater ATR-72 aircraft will ferry passengers between Guwahati, Rupsi, and Kolkata, offering a much-needed boost to regional connectivity.
But it’s not all planes and paperwork. Patil made sure to highlight the fact that it takes a small army to keep Rupsi Airport running smoothly. Currently, around 150 personnel, including a dozen employees from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Assam Police officers, are keeping the gears turning. One can only hope they’ll all have time to grab a cup of tea between flights.
The local response has been overwhelmingly positive. Western Assam’s residents have been quick to share their excitement, with many seeing the renewed service as a beacon of hope for boosting the local economy. After all, quicker travel means more business, more students getting to their universities on time (or close enough), and patients reaching critical healthcare in Guwahati and Kolkata without the ordeal of a bumpy bus ride.
As the flights resume, there’s a sense of cautious optimism. For the people of Dhubri, who have long been calling for better connectivity, this is more than just about planes; it’s about the lifeblood of the region getting a much-needed boost. And with any luck, the only turbulence now will be in the skies and not in the airport’s scheduling.
So, as we tip our hats to Alliance Air and hope the service continues without a hitch, it seems Rupsi Airport has truly taken off once again. Fingers crossed, there won’t be any more abrupt cancellations on the horizon.
What's Your Reaction?
