Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh, India: Maa Mahamaya Airport Darima in Ambikapur of Surguja district in Chhattisgarh received licence for commencing flight operations.

State Tribal Development and Farmers Welfare Minister Ramvichar Netam expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia for it.

Netam, during his tenure as minister and as a member of the Rajya Sabha, has consistently raised his voice in Parliament to provide air connectivity to the people of Surguja. Finally, Darima Ambikapur Airport received the license for air carrier operations.

The Office of the Director-General of Civil Aviation, Government of India, has issued a license to Maa Mahamaya Airport Darima Ambikapur to commence flight operations. The airport infrastructure and necessary parameters were continuously inspected by the DGCA team. Recently, a final inspection was conducted by the team from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) to assess the infrastructure and facilities' condition for passenger safety and flight operations. The team expressed satisfaction with all aspects, confirming the airport's suitability for safe flight operations. The report was forwarded to BCAS Headquarters in Delhi for provisional approval, leading to the issuance of an order for aircraft operations, an official communication said.

With the licensing of Ambikapur Airport, the state now has 03 licensed airports, including Bilaspur and Jagdalpur, under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS). Following the acquisition of the 3-C VFR category license, the operation of air services via 72-seater aircraft can now commence from Ambikapur Airport.

The state government is actively working to initiate air service operations from Ambikapur Airport to Raipur, Bilaspur, Lucknow, Patna, and Ranchi.