(a) whether the Government of Madhya Pradesh has requested the Government to extend air services from Bhopal upto Jabalpur and connect Madhya Pradesh with South India particularly Hyderabad and Chennai by air;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the reaction of the Government thereto?
THE MINISTER OF CIVIL AVIATION (SHRI SHARAD YADAV)
(a), (b) and (c): Yes, Sir. Government of Madhya Pradesh
has taken up the case for operating
Delhi-Raipur-Jabalpur-Bhopal services. Indian Airlines
introduced Jabalpur-Bhopal link from July, 1999 by operation
of a twice weekly DO-228 service on Delhi-Jabalpur-Bhopal
and vice-versa route. Jabalpur-Bhopal link was withdrawn
due to introduction of Delhi-Gwalior-Jabalpur and vice-versa
DO-228 service as part of route restructuring w.e.f.
November, 1999. Alliance Air introduced a Bhopal-South
India link by operation of a twice weekly B-737 service on
Chennai-Nagpur-Bhopal and vice-versa route from March, 2000.
The service was withdrawn from August, 2000 due to poor
passenger response.