PUNE, Nov. 9 -- Daily flight services between Navi Mumbai and Sindhudurg will commence on November 16, improving air connectivity to the Konkan district and providing a boost to tourism and local businesses. The service, to be operated by regional airline FLY91, will connect Navi Mumbai International Airport with Chipi Airport in Sindhudurg. The flight will depart Navi Mumbai at 7.55 am and arrive at Chipi at 9.05 am. The return flight will leave Chipi at 9.25 am and reach Navi Mumbai at 10.35 am. The service will operate all seven days of the week. Deepak Kapoor, vice-chairman and managing director of Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC), announced the development on X, saying the daily service would open new avenues for tourism and employment in the Konkan region. The flight is also expected to benefit Sindhudurg residents who frequently travel to Mumbai for work, medical treatment and business. "It will be a major relief for people from Sindhudurg who regularly travel to Mumbai," said Kiran Makani, a resident of the district. The development is significant for Chipi Airport, which has witnessed interruptions in flight operations since its inauguration on October 9, 2021. Alliance Air operated the first commercial flight between Mumbai and Sindhudurg under the Centre's UDAN regional connectivity scheme. The airline initially offered daily services, later reduced the frequency to three flights a week and discontinued the route in October 2024. FLY91 began operations from Chipi in March 2024, connecting Sindhudurg with destinations such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune. The Maharashtra government's viability gap funding (VGF) support has helped facilitate the new route. On October 27, the state cabinet approved 100% VGF for the Chipi-Navi Mumbai service, providing financial assistance of Rs.6,200 per seat in both directions. The daily connection is expected to improve access to Sindhudurg's beaches, forts and other tourist attractions while generating business and employment opportunities....