Remote tribal areas of the country get air connectivity: Prime Minister Shri Modi virtually inaugurated Maa Mahamaya Airport

The remote tribal dominated region of the country, Surguja district of Chhattisgarh, is now connected with air services. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today virtually inaugurated Maa Mahamaya Airport, Darima, Ambikapur from Varanasi and gave the gift of air travel facility to Surguja and its surrounding districts. On this occasion, while congratulating and wishing the people of Chhattisgarh, the Prime Minister said that the most modern facilities being developed in the airports of India have now become a topic of discussion in the world. The inauguration of this new airport in Surguja region will open new opportunities for development as well as employment.

On this occasion, Chhattisgarh Governor Shri Ramen Deka, Chief Minister Shri Vishnudev Sai, Union Civil Aviation Minister Shri Rammohan Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Shri Arun Saw, Union Housing and Urban Development Minister Shri Tokhan Sahu, along with Chhattisgarh Cabinet members, MPs and MLAs were present.

This air service will bring a new chapter in the lives of lakhs of people of Sarguja and its surrounding districts like Jashpur, Surajpur, Balrampur, Korea, Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur. This will provide easy air travel facility to the big cities of the country, which will be an economical and time-saving option compared to earlier. This will not only ease the transportation, but will also add a new pace to the economic and social progress of this region. The people of this region will be able to connect directly to Delhi, Kolkata, Raipur, Bilaspur and other major cities through this new service. The start of air service was a long-awaited demand of the Sarguja region, which has now been fulfilled.

Governor Shri Ramen Deka said that the opening of Maa Mahamaya Airport will open new dimensions of development in this region. Through the airport, a better air connectivity will be established for the citizens and industrialists of the Sarguja region. After Bastar, Sarguja is the second largest tribal-dominated area of ​​the state, where this facility is being started. He further said that this flight will take Chhattisgarh to new heights of development.

Chief Minister Shri Vishnudev Sai said on this occasion that the inauguration of Maa Mahamaya Airport by the successful Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is a historic moment for the Sarguja region. This is not just an effort to facilitate air travel, but is an important step towards connecting our tribal community and remote areas with the mainstream of development. This will provide new opportunities for education, health, and employment to the people of the region. We are proud that we are contributing to moving our state towards the dream of Developed India 2047. Air connectivity will not only make travel easier, but will also strengthen the local economy.

The Chief Minister said that as per the wishes of the Prime Minister, the dream of air travel of people wearing slippers in the country is coming true. The vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is to establish better aviation services in the country and connect all parts of the country with it. Union Housing and Urban Development Minister Shri Tokhan Sahu, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Arun Sao, Agriculture Minister Shri Ramvichar Netam, Health Minister Shri Shyam Bihar Jaiswal, Sarguja MP Shri Chintamani Maharaj also addressed the program.

The air strip at Maa Mahamaya Airport in Darima, Ambikapur has been upgraded under the Regional Connectivity Scheme of the Government of India. This airport is spread over 365 acres. It has been built at a cost of Rs 80 crore. This airport is of 3 CVFR category. 72 seater aircraft can land here. The terminal building has been expanded according to the estimated capacity of 5 lakh passengers annually. Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Rajwade, State Youth Commission Chairman Vishwavijay Singh Tomar, Lundra MLA Prabodh Minj, Ambikapur MLA Rajesh Agarwal, Sitapur MLA Ramkumar Toppo, Director, Aviation Sanjeev Jha were also present in the program.

Air connectivity: A step towards the dream of developed India 2047

Whenever the people of the tribal region settled in the lush green valleys of Sarguja headed towards big cities, the thought of a long and tiring journey would bother them. The special identity of this remote area is its natural beauty, but connecting with other parts of the country has always been a challenge for the people here. But now things are going to change. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today virtually inaugurated Maa Mahamaya Airport, Ambikapur, ensuring that this region of Sarguja becomes an integral part of the country’s development journey.

This resolution of Prime Minister Shri Modi is not just the inauguration of an airport, but a step towards realizing a big dream. It is a symbol of our resolve of ‘Developed India 2047’.” When he gave this gift to Chhattisgarh, there was a glow of new hope on the faces of the people of Ambikapur. This airport has become a means of connecting with the mainstream of the country for millions of people not only of Surguja but also of the surrounding districts of Jashpur, Surajpur, Balrampur, Korea, and Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur.

The growing possibilities of Sarguja

With the opening of Maa Mahamaya Airport, the people of Sarguja will be able to connect directly to Raipur, Delhi, Kolkata, Jabalpur, and other big cities. This initiative will give students a chance to go out for better education, businessmen will be able to reach new markets to expand their business and most importantly, patients will get easy access to better facilities for treatment.

Rajesh, a young entrepreneur from Ambikapur, says, “Now it will be easy for us to transport our products to other cities. Earlier this journey by road was long and expensive, but now we can directly transport our local products to cities like Delhi and Kolkata.” This airport will give a new direction to the economic activities of Surguja, and the small and big businessmen here are also excited about this change.

New avenues for tourism

The beautiful valleys of Sarguja, the hill station of Mainpat, and the historic caves of Ramgarh are counted among the major tourist destinations here. Now with the opening of this airport, it will be easier for tourists to come here. People associated with tourism believe that this will further increase the attraction of Sarguja. Local guide Shankar says, “Earlier tourists had to travel by road for hours to come here, but now they can come directly by flight. This will increase our tourism business and local people will get employment.”

Economic growth and investment prospects

Prime Minister Shri Modi, while emphasizing on the economic development of Sarguja on this occasion, said that this airport will not only facilitate transportation but will also attract investment in the region. The air service will provide new markets to the local industries here, which will increase employment opportunities. Small businesses here, such as handicrafts, cottage industries, and agricultural products, will now be able to reach other parts of the country easily.

The agricultural products of Sarguja are in demand across the country, and now the farmers here can also directly deliver their products to the markets of Delhi or Kolkata. This will not only increase their income but will also strengthen the economic condition of the region.