CM Mohan Yadav launches 4 new MP air routes, 5 airports approved
Synopsis
Madhya Pradesh CM Dr. Mohan Yadav and Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu jointly launched four new domestic flight routes from Bhopal on 9 August 2026 and announced approval for five new airports across the state, with Singrauli earmarked as the first to be built.
Key Takeaways
Four new routes launched: Bhopal–Rewa, Bhopal–Patna, Rewa–Kolkata, and Jabalpur–Kolkata.
Five new airports approved for Madhya Pradesh; Singrauli will be built first.
Singrauli is a major coal and power industrial district in eastern MP currently without an airport.
More than 10 new air routes have been added in MP over the past two years.
The launch was held jointly with Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu at Raja Bhoj Airport, Bhopal .
The expansion aligns with India's UDAN regional connectivity scheme, active since 2016.
Five new airports are coming to Madhya Pradesh — and four new flight routes took off on Sunday, 9 August 2026, as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav flagged off the inaugural services from Raja Bhoj Airport, Bhopal, alongside Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu. The state's aviation map just got redrawn.
Four routes, one ceremony, one big signal
The four new services — Bhopal–Rewa, Bhopal–Patna, Rewa–Kolkata, and Jabalpur–Kolkata — connect previously isolated industrial and pilgrimage corridors to major metros. Rewa and Jabalpur, both in eastern Madhya Pradesh, now have direct links to Kolkata for the first time, cutting what were multi-leg journeys into a single flight. Dr. Yadav noted that the new direct flights will save 'both time and money for industrialists, traders, and tourists, and give fresh momentum to the state's development and tourism.'
Singrauli first: where coal country gets an airport
The bigger headline landed the same day: formal approval for five new airports across the state, with Singrauli — the coal and power hub in eastern MP — designated as the first to break ground. Singrauli's energy sector draws a steady stream of corporate and government traffic that currently has no direct air access; an airport there addresses a long-standing infrastructure gap for one of India's most productive industrial districts. The remaining four sites were not named in the announcement.
A decade of UDAN, now accelerating
The moves fit squarely within India's UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) regional connectivity scheme, launched in 2016, which has steadily pushed domestic air services toward tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Madhya Pradesh has added routes in phases under the Airports Authority of India and state civil aviation plans since 2017. Dr. Yadav pointed out that more than 10 new air routes have been added in the state over the past two years alone — a clip that marks a clear acceleration from earlier phases. The central-state partnership model on display at Raja Bhoj Airport on Sunday — a Chief Minister and a Union Minister jointly flagging off flights — is now the template for how aviation expansion gets done.
The government's stated goal is air connectivity to every region of the state. With Singrauli's airport approval, the eastern belt — historically dependent on road and rail — moves a step closer to that target.
Point of View
An industrial district with no existing air access, over more obvious tourist or political centres is a deliberate economic signal: the state is trying to reduce logistics friction for its energy sector and attract corporate investment. The visible central-state coordination at Raja Bhoj Airport also reinforces BJP's political narrative of 'double-engine government' delivering tangible infrastructure — a message that will be tested against actual construction timelines for the five airports.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which new flight routes were launched in Madhya Pradesh on 9 August 2026?
Four new routes were launched: Bhopal–Rewa, Bhopal–Patna, Rewa–Kolkata, and Jabalpur–Kolkata. The flights were flagged off from Raja Bhoj Airport, Bhopal.
How many new airports are being built in Madhya Pradesh?
Five new airports have received approval. Singrauli, an industrial district in eastern Madhya Pradesh, has been identified as the first site where construction will begin.
What is the UDAN scheme and how does it relate to MP's aviation expansion?
UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) is India's regional air connectivity scheme launched in 2016 to bring affordable flights to smaller cities. Madhya Pradesh's new routes and airport approvals are part of this national framework.
Why is Singrauli getting an airport first?
Singrauli is a major coal and power industrial hub in eastern Madhya Pradesh that currently lacks direct air access. An airport there is expected to reduce travel time for industry professionals and boost investment in the region.
Who inaugurated the new MP flight routes?
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav and Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu jointly flagged off the four new services from Raja Bhoj Airport in Bhopal.
