India, July 17 -- In a landmark moment for the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu, Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, along with Administrator of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu, Shri Praful Patel, flagged off the inaugural flight on the Daman-Delhi-Daman route from the newly operational NAMO Airport, Daman on July 16, 2026.
Landmark Aviation Milestone for Daman
- Event: On 16 July 2026, Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu and UT Administrator Praful Patel flagged off the inaugural Daman-Delhi-Daman flight from the newly operational NAMO Airport, Daman.
- Carrier: Alliance Air, the government-owned regional airline, launched the service - marking Daman's first-ever direct air link to the national capital.
Airport Development
- Vision: Envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of the UDAN scheme.
- Foundation Stone: Laid on 25 April 2023; inaugurated on 5 June 2026.
- Facility: Built at a cost of Rs.124 crore on a 25-acre site, with Rs.88 crore reimbursed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
- Capacity: 3,700 sq. m terminal, able to handle 14 ATR flights daily and 3.67 lakh passengers annually.
Economic & Tourism Impact
- Industries: Over 7,000 industries in Daman, Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, plus 15,000+ in nearby Vapi and Valsad. Improved connectivity expected to boost investment and jobs.
- Tourism: Daman already attracts ~20 lakh tourists annually; direct flights will accelerate growth. Plans include runway extension for larger aircraft like Airbus A320s and new routes to Mumbai, Surat, Ahmedabad, Patna.
- Blue Economy: Faster transport for....
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Travel Media.