Youth Congress Presses Parliament to Cut Northeast Airfares

Itanagar: Indian Youth Congress leader Tarh Johny wants Deputy Leader of the Opposition Gaurav Gogoi to tackle sky-high airfares in Northeast India. He filed a formal request for the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament. Copies of this letter went to Rahul Gandhi and Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu.

Air travel serves as a lifeline in the region. Poor roads and limited train lines make flying a necessity, not a perk. Johny pointed to bizarre pricing data from July 18. A 50-minute flight from Imphal to Guwahati cost Rs 11,687. Meanwhile, a 2-hour-40-minute hop from Imphal to New Delhi cost only Rs 10,525.

"Such fare disparities have caused widespread concern among passengers and deserve careful examination by the authorities concerned," Johny said. The IYC claims limited competition leaves students, patients, and families stranded by high costs. The crisis hits travelers in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura.

Johny demands that the Centre review regional trends immediately. He wants the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to investigate price spikes. The Youth Congress also seeks more airline competition, a transparent monitoring system, and a lasting policy to ensure affordable regional connectivity.