Cheers for Kurnool residents! Indigo to launch 3 direct flights from Kurnool to Bengaluru, Chennai and Visakhapatnam

In a good news for the residents of Kurnool, budget carrier Indigo has announced the launch of direct flights from the city to three important cities in South India- Bengaluru, Visakhapatnam, and Chennai under the regional connectivity scheme UDAN. The airline on Friday said that the three direct flights from the city will be launched from March 28, news agency PTI reported. The development assumes significance as the state government of Andhra Pradesh led by CM Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided to turn Kurnool into one of the state capitals. The state government has decided to make Kurnool the Judiciary Capital of the state while Visakhapatnam and Amravati will be turned into the Executive and Legislative capital of the state.

Sanjay Kumar, Chief Strategy and Revenue Officer of the airline told PTI that the move to initiate three direct flights from Kurnool will enhance regional connectivity in the South India region. Kumar further said that the move to start direct flights from Kurnool city was taken as the city will be one of three capitals of the state as well a vital node for the Hyderabad-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor.

As per the PTI report, all three direct flights- Kurnool-Bengaluru, Kurnool-Chennai and Kurnool-Visakhapatnam-will operate for four days in a week. Since the flights are being launched under the regional connectivity scheme of the central government, the airline will also receive some financial incentives from the centre as well as the state government. Under the UDAN initiative, the government promotes the airlines to connect smaller cities of the country and subsidises the airline for incurring the losses during the initial phase of its operations.

At the time of the announcement of the direct flight from Kurnool, the airline said that the move will not make Kurnool more accessible for the tourists from some of the most important centres of South India but also help government officials in their frequent movement to the Judicial capital of the state.