By Rafique Aziz
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
Known globally for its rich historical heritage, including two UNESCO World Heritage sites, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad), has often been overlooked by many tourists due to poor air connectivity with major destinations in India. However, this scenario has gradually changed in recent years.
With the liberalisation of air travel and the advent of private airlines, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has now become one of Maharashtra's top three desired destinations. Previously, the city's air connections were limited to Delhi and Mumbai. Today, it boasts flights to key tourist destinations such as Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Nagpur, Goa, and Hyderabad.
Currently, regular flights to Mumbai and Delhi continue alongside twice-daily flights to Hyderabad, daily flights to Ahmedabad, four-times-a-week flights to Bengaluru, and three-times-a-week flights to Nagpur, Goa, and Lucknow. This improved connectivity has kindled hopes among tourism stakeholders for a significant increase in tourist arrivals.
Airport Director Sharad Yewale confirmed that Air India and IndiGo (both) operate 8-9 flights daily, covering morning and evening slots.
Malti Dutta, Assistant Director (India Tourism), is optimistic that enhanced air connectivity will boost two-way traffic from these destinations, increasing the number of both domestic and foreign tourists, as well as corporate clients involved in MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism.
Deepak Harne, Regional Manager (Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation), emphasized, "Improved air connectivity is a boon for our tourism industry. Earlier, limited connectivity was a barrier for tourists. Now, with good infrastructure and tourist-centric facilities available, we expect a surge in tourist arrivals."
Senior guide Amol Basole added, "This is indeed a positive development. However, regular flight operations are crucial for tourists to plan their trips in advance. Affordable airfares are also important until the market is well-developed; otherwise, high costs may deter tourists. The post-pandemic rise in airfares and hotel tariffs had previously discouraged foreign tourists from visiting our country."
Sunit Kothari, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Committee of the Aurangabad Tourism Development Foundation (ATDF), elaborated, "We are ready to welcome tourists from Goa, Lucknow, and other destinations. Soon, the city will also have air connectivity to Bangkok. Efforts are underway to include the city under the UDAN scheme and to revive discontinued routes to Rajasthan (via Udaipur and Jaipur). We have also requested the operation of daily flights to Bengaluru in the winter schedule."
Annually, approximately 1.5 million domestic tourists and less than 100,000 international tourists visit Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, attracted by its monuments such as the Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Bibi Ka Maqbara (the Taj of Deccan), and Daulatabad (Devgiri) Fort. With improved air connectivity, these numbers are expected to rise, offering a much-needed boost to the tourism industry.