Durgapur: Air India resumed operations on the Durgapur-Delhi-Durgapur sector on Sunday by landing 10 minutes before time at the Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport in Andal.

The national carrier’s flight AI755 departed Delhi at 5.50 am and reached Andal near Durgapur at 7.40 am with 116 passengers. Return flight AI756 on a 122-seater Airbus A319 left at 8.25 am and reached Delhi at 10.35 am with 115 passengers.

“Developed by Bengal Aerotropolis Projects Ltd (BAPL), the Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport in Durgapur is India’s first operational private greenfield airport. Air India’s direct connection between Delhi and Durgapur will go a long way in accelerating growth in this key industrial city,” said civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu.

The non-stop service will save flyers from Durgapur the time-consuming road journey to Kolkata and provide them direct air connectivity to Delhi and, from there, to innumerable domestic and international destinations. It will, in fact, bring the entire country within six hours’ reach of this steel township.

The service will fulfil a long-standing need of residents of the Asansol-Durgapur belt that is home to major industries such as mining, iron and steel, metalwork, engineering, petrochemicals and telecommunication.

The service will fulfil a long-standing need of residents of the Asansol-Durgapur belt that is home to major industries such as mining, iron and steel, metalwork, engineering, petrochemicals and telecommunication.

Air India was, in fact, the first airline to start commercial operations from the Andal Airport in May,2015

Union minister Babul Supriyo, who landed by the resumed flight in Andal, tweeted: “Delighted to be on the Delhi-Durgapur Air India flights, the route that resumed its (sic) active status today. Had 2 cancel the flag-off ceremonies at Delhi & Durgapur due 2 prevailing Model Code of Conduct to ensure that the flight take-off (sic) on the auspicious occasion of #PoilaBaisakh.” He added that the number of passengers was “quite encouraging” .

Sachin Ballodia, organizing secretary, Neamatpur Merchants Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “It’s a welcome move by the government. Businessmen of our area were eagerly waiting for the flight to restart as their business will benefit. It will also help development.”

Unlike the earlier stint, when AI operated flights with viability gap funding (the state or airport operator’s commitment to fund a certain number of seats if these were not sold), this time a commercial flight has been introduced with no such constraint.