A new direct flight service between Deoghar and Guwahati commenced on Tuesday, offering a major boost to air connectivity for pilgrims and travelers. The inaugural service coincided with the Shravani Mela and a Tuesday, considered an auspicious day for devotees visiting the Baba Baidyanath Jyotirlinga in Deoghar and the revered Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati.
The inaugural IndiGo flight from Guwahati landed at Deoghar Airport at 11:20 am with 50 passengers on board. The aircraft received a traditional water cannon salute on arrival, while airport authorities organized a ceremonial welcome for passengers.
At Deoghar Airport, passengers boarding the first Guwahati-bound flight participated in a cake-cutting ceremony and lit ceremonial lamps to mark the launch of the new route. The inaugural flight from Deoghar carried 43 passengers.
The first passenger on the Deoghar-Guwahati flight, Dharmachandra Jain, travelled with his parents, wife and child. Along with fellow passengers, he participated in the inaugural celebrations organized by the airport authorities and IndiGo representatives. A Kanwariya travelling to Guwahati was also welcomed during the event with a symbolic boarding pass.
Passengers travelling on both the incoming and outgoing inaugural flights were greeted with roses and provided refreshments. In total, 93 passengers travelling on the first day of operations received a ceremonial welcome.
According to the flight schedule, IndiGo flight 6E 7709 departed Guwahati at 9:25 am and arrived in Deoghar at around 11:20 am. The return flight, 6E 7710, departed Deoghar at 11:50 am. The nearly 1,000-kilometre journey takes approximately two hours.
The 78-seat flight will operate twice a week, every Tuesday and Friday. According to airline sources, the service has initially been scheduled to operate until October, with the possibility of an extension based on demand.
The new route is expected to benefit thousands of followers of the Satsang Ashram and make travel easier for devotees wishing to visit both Baba Baidyanath Dham and the Kamakhya Temple. It is also expected to strengthen religious tourism between eastern and northeastern India.
With the launch of the Guwahati service, Deoghar has now been directly connected to the Northeast through air travel. The airport already offers flights to Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, significantly improving connectivity for business travelers, students, patients and tourists.
The airport has also become an important transit point for passengers travelling to destinations such as the Maldives, Bali, Phuket and Port Blair through connecting flights. Since the introduction of night landing facilities in 2024 and the expansion of flight services, passenger traffic at Deoghar Airport has continued to grow steadily.
Apart from serving the six districts of the Santhal Pargana region, the airport is also used by travelers from Dhanbad, Giridih and Bihar districts including Bhagalpur, Banka and Jamui. It also provides convenient access for Jain pilgrims visiting Parasnath.
