Air connectivity between Mumbai and Maharashtra’s Konkan region is set to improve with the introduction of daily flights between Chipi Airport in Sindhudurg and Navi Mumbai from November 16, 2026. State Shipping Minister and Sindhudurg Guardian Minister Nitesh Rane announced the development, expressing confidence that the service would support tourism and generate employment opportunities in the coastal district.
The flights will be operated by Fly91 airline and will run throughout the week, providing passengers with a regular air travel option between the two destinations. The service is expected to reduce travel time for visitors heading to Sindhudurg and make the region more accessible to tourists from Mumbai and neighbouring areas.
According to Rane, improved connectivity could benefit several sectors, including hotels, local transport, tour operators and other tourism-related businesses. The increased tourist movement is also expected to create employment and self-employment opportunities for young people in the district.
Rane highlighted that efforts to develop Sindhudurg as a tourism destination date back to 1999, when the then Tourism Minister Narayan Rane proposed giving tourism a prominent role in the district’s economy alongside agriculture and fisheries. As part of this vision, Chipi Airport near Vengurla was developed through the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC).
However, flight operations at the airport had previously been suspended due to technical and other operational challenges. Over the past two years, the state government has undertaken measures to address infrastructure-related issues, including access roads, electricity supply and night-landing facilities. The state Cabinet also approved Viability Gap Funding (VGF) to support the continuation of air services.
Rane further pointed to proposed Taj hotel developments at Velaghar and Devgad in Vengurla as additional investments that could strengthen the district’s hospitality sector.
With regular flights and upcoming hotel projects, Sindhudurg aims to strengthen its position as a prominent tourism destination in Maharashtra.
Source: Nav Bharat
