The Bhutan government on Friday announced of connecting Assam’s capital city Guwahati with Singapore by introducing flights in the Thimpu-Guwahati-Singapore sector.
The Royal Bhutan government already operates the maiden international flight from Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport of Guwahati with flights between Bhutan capital Thimpu, Guwahati and Bangkok (Thailand).
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Guwahati is the only international-level airport among the seven North Eastern states of the region.
Announcing the decision at the opening of Royal Bhutanese Consulate General office here, Bhutan’s Foreign Minister Damco Dorji said, “It gives me pleasure to announce that Bhutan will be operating flights between Thimpu-Guwahati-Singapore very soon.”
The frequency of the flights and other details will be announced later, a Bhutan government official said adding that the international flights touching Guwahati are being run as a goodwill gesture rather than for commercial profit, with the Bhutan government actually incurring loss in the sectors connecting Guwahati so far.
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Currently, Druk Air, Bhutan’s official carrier, operates flights between Thimpu-Guwahati-Bangkok twice a week and the same carrier will operate the new destination flights.
On improving connectivity with India, especially Assam and North East, the visiting Foreign minister said work on the railway project with India is going on, though it has been facing some problems.
He said, “There are some challenges in this project, mostly regarding acquisition of private land (in West Bengal) for the project. Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal chief minister) assured of settling the matter at the earliest when she had visited our country.”
Dorji mentioned of the road connectivity points at various parts of Assam and said discussions are being pursued with the Assam government to develop these points further,
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who was present on the occasion, thanked the Royal Bhutan government for announcing the second international flight touching Guwahati.
Bhutan’s Prime Minister Dasho Tsering Tobgay was also present at the opening of the Consulate General office, the second diplomatic office of the neighbouring country in India after New Delhi, and commemorating 50 years of formal diplomatic ties between the two nations.