Getting in and out of Arunachal Pradesh has never been easy. But that might be about to change in a big way.
IndiGo, India’s largest low-cost carrier, is proposing to significantly expand its flight operations between Itanagar’s Donyi Polo Airport and Guwahati starting October 10 — a move that the business community is already calling a game-changer for the state. The announcement came from the Arunachal Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI), which confirmed that the information was based on tentative communication received from IndiGo’s Eastern Region authorities.
If the plans hold, IndiGo would initially operate the Guwahati–Hollongi route six days a week from October 10, before stepping it up to daily services from October 25. That’s not a small upgrade — for a landlocked, mountainous state where road travel can eat up an entire day, a daily flight connection to Guwahati is practically a lifeline.
And it’s not just about getting to Guwahati. The real value here is what comes next. The expanded services are expected to improve onward connectivity from Itanagar via Guwahati to major cities including Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bhubaneswar, Lucknow, Jaipur and Ahmedabad. Think about what that means for a student heading to college in Delhi, or a businessperson trying to close a deal in Bengaluru. Right now, that journey can feel unnecessarily complicated. Soon, it may not be.
ACCI president Dr Tarh Nachung put it plainly — the proposed expansion would make travel more convenient for business travellers, students, tourists, government officials and professionals, while improving access between Arunachal Pradesh and key metropolitan and commercial centres of the country. That’s a wide net, and rightfully so. Nearly every section of Arunachali society stands to benefit.
The chamber also pointed to the bigger picture. Improved connectivity would support tourism, trade, investment and entrepreneurship by making the state more accessible to visitors and businesses from across India. Arunachal has long struggled to attract outside investment partly because getting here is just inconvenient. Better air links remove one of those barriers.
ACCI used the occasion to thank the political figures who have pushed hard for better air connectivity for the state — Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, Lok Sabha MP Tapir Gao, Rajya Sabha MP Tai Tagak, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, and Civil Aviation Minister Balo Raja all received mention. It’s a reminder that developments like this don’t happen in a vacuum — they take years of lobbying, meetings, and persistent follow-up.
A word of caution, though. ACCI was careful to note that the proposed routes, timings, frequency and connecting destinations remain tentative and are subject to final confirmation and possible revision by IndiGo based on operational and commercial requirements. IndiGo is yet to release a formal operational schedule, so residents and travellers would do well to watch for the official announcement before booking anything.
Still, the direction of travel — pun intended — is encouraging. Donyi Polo Airport at Hollongi was built with ambitions of becoming a genuine gateway to Arunachal Pradesh. Better IndiGo connectivity would be a meaningful step toward realising that promise.
For a state that has waited long enough for its skies to open up, October 10 cannot come soon enough.
