Low-cost carrier IndiGo on Friday announced direct flights between Chennai and Durgapur in West Bengal from May 16.
The airline will operate direct flights between the two cities three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, the airline said in a statement.
The flights from Chennai will leave for Durgapur at 5.45 am and reach there at 8.25 am. The return flight will take off from Durgapur at 8.55 am and land in Chennai at 11.25 am.
The direct flight to Durgapur will boost domestic connectivity from the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the statement said.
With the addition of Chennai, IndiGo will operate 28 weekly flights from Durgapur to metro cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.
This new connection will offer more options to travellers from Durgapur to connect to other domestic and international destinations via Chennai, the statement said.
With the presence of major automobile manufacturing units and allied industries around the city, Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, is also called the ‘Detroit of India’.
Located in the Paschim Bardhaman district of West Bengal, Durgapur is an industrial city, and it hosts a very mineral-rich belt. It is home to the Durgapur Steel Plant, which opened in 1957. Situated on the banks of river Damodar, the city is also a hub of education and innovation with several renowned colleges and universities, the statement said.
The airline also announced resuming operations between Chennai and Bangkok from May 15.
“We are pleased to announce the launch of direct flights between Chennai and Durgapur, as well as the resumption of direct flights between Chennai and Bangkok. The enhanced accessibility and connectivity provided by these flights will not only strengthen regional and international connectivity but also create new trade and tourism opportunities..,” Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales, IndiGo, said.
The airline on February 29 had also announced direct flight connections from Kolkata to Srinagar and Kolkata to Jammu as a part of its new domestic route connections in this year’s summer schedule.