Bathinda-Delhi flight brings cheer to travellers

Gurdeep Singh Mann

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 12

The inauguration of the Bathinda Airport has brought cheer to local commuters who travel frequently to Delhi.

Frequent travellers say it is not just the Rs 2,500 fare between rail, road and air, but also the comfort and timings.

A 70-seater plane will take off thrice a week on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and it will be a 90-minute journey. The plane will fly from Delhi at 12.15 pm and will reach Bathinda at 1.45 pm. It will return to Delhi on the same day with 30-minute halt and will land back in the national capital at 3.45 pm.

DD Gupta, General Manager of north zone in the Airport Authority of India (AAI), said, “People may log on to our website (www.airindia.in) for ticket booking and also at other websites like www.makemytrip.com. Modalities are also being chalked out to open city outlets for sale of air-tickets soon.”

Rajinder Mittal, a leading businessman whose business is spread all over the country, said, “It’s not only the Rs 2,500 fare which suits people of all categories but also the timings. Apart from saving the expenditure incurred upon hotel stay, people can also save precious time by getting their works done in a day and leave the very next day.”

Senior lawyer Jatinder Roy Khattar said, “It costs Rs 650 to travel to Delhi via Shatabdi but if someone is travelling with a lot of luggage then travel becomes irritating, upsetting and tiresome as it takes four hours to reach Delhi.” “The situation becomes pathetic whenever trains are late by two to five hours,” he added.

“Though a flight costs Rs 2,500, it’s more comfortable albeit one has to make arrangements up to the airport in Virk Kalan from Bathinda and it saves a lot of time. A cab charges Rs 500 up to the airport from Bathinda and 90 minutes’ journey is more comfortable than the train. Travelling through road is not only irksome these days, but it also creates a huge hole in pockets as it costs not less Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000,” Roy said.