Bhopal airport gets 4 new flights; Rewa, Patna, Kolkata routes launched
Synopsis
Madhya Pradesh added four new air routes in a single day — Bhopal-Rewa, Bhopal-Patna, Rewa-Kolkata, and Jabalpur-Kolkata — backed by ₹10 lakh per round trip in state subsidies. With 10 airports in five years, a Bhopal-Sharjah international service due in two months, and 1,700 new aircraft expected nationally, the state is repositioning itself as a serious aviation hub in central India.
Key Takeaways
CM Mohan Yadav flagged off four new flights from Raja Bhoj Airport, Bhopal on 9 August .
New routes: Bhopal-Rewa , Bhopal-Patna , Rewa-Kolkata , and Jabalpur-Kolkata , operated by Alliance Air .
The state will provide Viability Gap Funding of up to ₹10 lakh per round trip under MP Civil Aviation Policy-2025 .
Madhya Pradesh has added 10 airports in five years and over 10 new routes in two years; approval granted for 5 more airports .
A Bhopal-Sharjah international flight is expected to launch within two months .
Union Minister Naidu announced 1,700 new aircraft are expected nationally, with the UDAN scheme to expand further.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on 9 August flagged off four new flights from Raja Bhoj Airport, Bhopal, marking a significant expansion of Madhya Pradesh's air connectivity with eastern and northern India. The new routes — Bhopal-Rewa, Bhopal-Patna, Rewa-Kolkata, and Jabalpur-Kolkata — are expected to cut travel time for thousands of passengers while boosting trade, tourism, and economic activity across the state.
Key Developments at the Launch
The flagging-off ceremony was attended by Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla. Chief Minister Yadav also personally handed boarding passes to select passengers, marking the occasion. The flights will be operated by Alliance Air.
Under the Madhya Pradesh Civil Aviation Policy-2025, the state will provide Viability Gap Funding of up to ₹10 lakh per round trip to support the new services. Yadav noted that the state government already provides subsidies of several lakh rupees per flight to sustain air connectivity.
What the Chief Minister Said
Calling it a 'glorious day,' Yadav pointed to a rapid pace of airport development, saying, 'In just three years, Madhya Pradesh has got three new airports. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, more airports are coming up. Today the state has received approval for five additional airports.'
He also highlighted that Madhya Pradesh was the first state to introduce air ambulance services, combining fixed-wing aircraft where runways exist and helicopters elsewhere. 'In five years, the state has got 10 airports, and more than 10 new routes have been added in two years,' he added.
Centre's Backing and the UDAN Push
Union Minister Naidu praised Madhya Pradesh's aviation policy as 'one of the best in the country' and underscored the Centre's broader aviation ambitions. He stated that under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, 90 airports have been built over the past 12 years, and the number of aircraft in India has doubled, transforming connectivity for Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Naidu also announced that 1,700 new aircraft are expected to enter service nationally, with the UDAN scheme set to expand further.
Vindhya Region and Broader Impact
Deputy Chief Minister Shukla described the launch as a 'historic day' for the Vindhya region, which he noted is rich in coal, power infrastructure, and religious tourism. He stressed that air connectivity has shifted from being a luxury to a necessity for the region's residents and businesses.
Notably, an international flight from Indore to Abu Dhabi has already commenced, and a Bhopal-Sharjah service is expected to begin within two months, further extending the state's global aviation footprint. The new domestic routes will directly facilitate faster movement for passengers travelling for education, trade, and tourism between central and eastern India.
Point of View
But Alliance Air's load factors on thin sectors like Bhopal-Rewa will determine whether these services survive beyond the initial subsidy window. The broader pattern — 90 airports in 12 years nationally, yet regional connectivity still dependent on state handouts — raises a structural question the UDAN scheme has not fully answered: when do these routes become commercially self-sustaining? MP's simultaneous push into international services (Indore-Abu Dhabi, Bhopal-Sharjah) suggests the state is betting on diaspora and pilgrimage traffic to cross-subsidise domestic routes, a model worth watching closely.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which new flight routes were launched from Bhopal on 9 August?
Four new routes were launched: Bhopal-Rewa, Bhopal-Patna, Rewa-Kolkata, and Jabalpur-Kolkata. The flights are operated by Alliance Air under Madhya Pradesh's Civil Aviation Policy-2025.
What financial support will the Madhya Pradesh government provide for these flights?
Under the MP Civil Aviation Policy-2025, the state will offer Viability Gap Funding of up to ₹10 lakh per round trip to support the new routes. The government already provides subsidies of several lakh rupees per flight on existing services.
When will the Bhopal-Sharjah international flight begin?
The Bhopal-Sharjah international service is expected to commence within two months of the 9 August announcement, according to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. An Indore-Abu Dhabi international flight has already begun operations.
How many airports does Madhya Pradesh now have?
Madhya Pradesh has added 10 airports over the past five years, with state approval granted for five additional airports announced on 9 August. More than 10 new routes have also been added in the past two years.
What is the UDAN scheme and how does it relate to these new flights?
UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) is a central government scheme aimed at making air travel affordable and expanding regional connectivity, especially to Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Union Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu confirmed the scheme will expand further, alongside the expected induction of 1,700 new aircraft nationally.
