NASHIK: Alliance Air, a subsidiary of Air India, on Friday launched air services connecting Nashik with Ahmedabad and Hyderabad under the Centre’s regional connectivity scheme. The airline will use a 70-seater aircraft and operate everyday except Sundays.

The maiden flight from Hyderabad was welcomed by MP Hemant Godse at Ozar airport in the presence of district collector Radhakrishnan B and officials from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The airport belongs to HAL.

“Nashik is a holy place as well as a business growth centre and we are expecting good response from here,” said Deep Mahajan, executive director of Alliance Air.

Godse said since Hyderabad is known as an IT city and Ahmedabad a commercial city, connectivity with these cities will boost the growth of IT and business sectors in Nashik. Access to Rajasthan will also improve due to the Ahmedabad flight.

“There has been a long standing demand from business community for connectivity from Nashik and these flights would offer seamless connectivity to other domestic and international destinations,” said another official from Alliance Air.

The Nashik residents welcomed the air connectivity with two important cities of the country.

“I have to travel to Ahmedabad twice a month for business purpose. Every time I had to go to Mumbai by road and fly to Ahmedabad. I had booking on a Mumbai-Ahmedabad flight for Friday, but I cancelled it as soon as I came to know about the flight from Nashik. Now I am travelling by the Nashik-Ahmedabad flight,” said S B Singh, representative of a UK-based company.

Onion exporter Ashok Chopda said there was an urgent need for flight to Ahmedabad. “Travelling by road to is time-consuming. I regularly go to Ahmedabad for business purpose. Flight from Nashik will benefit many businessmen like me and it will also help increase the business.”

As most of the businessmen in Nashik are involved in business activities in Gujarat, the new flight may boost the economic growth of the city.

Presently, Jet Airways is operating on Nashik-Delhi route thrice a week since June 15 last year.

