Daman Gets First Direct Delhi Flight

• Alliance Air launches first direct Daman-Delhi flight.
• Ram Mohan Naidu flags off inaugural service from NAMO Airport.
• Airport expected to boost tourism, trade and industry.
• Government plans expansion under the UDAN scheme.

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 17th July: Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu flagged off the inaugural Alliance Air flight on the Daman-Delhi-Daman route from the newly operational NAMO Airport, giving the Union Territory its first-ever direct air connectivity with the national capital.

The inaugural ceremony, held on July 16, was attended by Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu Administrator Praful Patel, senior officials of the UT Administration, Airports Authority of India (AAI), Alliance Air, the Indian Coast Guard and local residents.

The Minister said the new service will reduce travel time between Daman and Delhi to around 2.5 hours, replacing the earlier 8-10 hour journey via Surat or Mumbai. He credited the achievement to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s UDAN initiative aimed at expanding regional air connectivity.

Developed at a cost of ₹124 crore, NAMO Airport features a 3,700-square-metre terminal with the capacity to handle 14 ATR flights daily and around 3.67 lakh passengers annually.

Naidu said the airport would strengthen tourism, improve connectivity for more than 7,000 industries in the region and create new opportunities for trade, investment and employment. He also announced plans to extend the runway to accommodate larger aircraft and connect Daman with more cities in the future.

Highlighting the Modified UDAN Scheme, the Minister said the Centre has allocated ₹29,000 crore over the next 10 years to develop 100 new airports and 200 new helipads across the country.

Administrator Praful Patel described NAMO Airport as a major milestone for the region, saying it would accelerate industrial growth and economic development across the western coastal belt.