A request meant to ease the burden on air travellers in Manipur has unexpectedly set off a broader debate on what affordability truly looks like in the state’s aviation sector.
Khurai MLA L. Susindro Meitei, popularly known as Yaima, has written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation asking that airfare on the Imphal–Guwahati route be kept “below ₹7,000” during normal travel periods. While the letter was framed as a measure for public convenience, its tone and pricing benchmark have left many travellers unconvinced — and some mildly amused.
In his communication to Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha, Susindro thanked the Ministry for introducing an additional Imphal–Guwahati–Delhi flight scheduled at 5:25 pm and for increasing aircraft capacity from 180 to 232 seats. He acknowledged that improved connectivity would benefit students, patients, business travellers, and those seeking medical treatment outside the state.
So far, the response reads like routine political correspondence. The reaction shifted when the MLA urged the government to “rationalise and regulate” the airfare and proposed that ticket prices be kept under ₹7,000 during regular travel seasons.
For a sector that covers the distance between Imphal and Guwahati in roughly 35 minutes, the figure struck many as an odd definition of affordability. Among frequent flyers, the suggestion quickly turned into a talking point — not because it promised relief, but because it highlighted just how high “normal” fares have become.
A Reflection of a Larger Problem
The MLA argued that stabilised airfares would promote mobility and align with the objectives of the UDAN scheme, which aims to make regional air travel accessible to the wider public. On paper, the logic holds. In practice, critics argue, the ₹7,000 mark exposes the growing disconnect between policy intent and on-ground economics.
For many residents of Manipur, airfare on the Imphal–Guwahati sector often fluctuates sharply based on demand, season, and emergency travel. During medical emergencies, examinations, or political instability, costs can surge well beyond what average households can manage. Against this backdrop, a “cap” below ₹7,000 sounds less like regulation and more like normalisation of what is already perceived as expensive.
Gratitude, Then Giggles
Susindro’s letter appears to have been crafted with dual intent — to express appreciation and to flag public concern. Yet, the phrasing of the demand seems to have undercut its seriousness. On social media and in informal discussions, the proposal is being read less as a subsidy-style intervention and more as an unintentional admission of how distorted airfare expectations have become.
Some aviation observers also point out that fare regulation in India is tied to market mechanisms, fuel costs, operational viability, and occupancy rates. Simply setting a political benchmark, they say, may have limited practical impact unless backed by subsidy frameworks or structural changes.
What It Ultimately Reveals
Whether the Ministry acts on the MLA’s request remains to be seen. But the episode has already achieved one thing: it has forced public attention back onto the chronic issue of air connectivity costs in Manipur.
When “below ₹7,000” is now being framed as a public-friendly rate for a short regional hop, the conversation has shifted beyond fare regulation. It has become a mirror to the larger economic strain faced by travellers who depend on air connectivity not for leisure, but for survival, education, and healthcare.
For many in Manipur, the question is no longer whether ₹7,000 is cheap or expensive. The real question is why it ever began to sound reasonable.