Ahmedabad, Surat to get direct flights to London, Dubai

In a move sure to benefit the vast Indian diaspora, Ahmedabad will soon have direct air connectivity with London and Surat with Dubai, official sources said Wednesday.

This followed discussions between Gujarat Civil Aviation Minister Saurabh Patel and Airport Authority of India chairman S. Raheja in Gandhinagar Wednesday.

According to sources in the civil aviation department, a large number of Gujaratis living in Britain and the United Arab Emirates will benefit from the direct flights.

Ahmedabad is now linked directly with most parts of the Gulf region including Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Doha and indirectly, via Mumbai, with New York, Frankfurt and London.

Wednesday's meeting also discussed steps to give international status to the Surat airport.

The minister also pressed the need to push the airport development plans of Dholera, a special investment region.

This is a dream project of then chief minister and now Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The airports in Rajkot, Surat and Bhuj will also get flights to and from Delhi while Surat will be linked with Chennai and Bangalore, the sources said.