The first direct flight operations between Imphal and Shillong was flagged off yesterday under the Regional Connectivity Scheme ' Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik, RCS-UDAN. The aerial connectivity between the capital cities of Manipur and Meghalaya had been a long-awaited demand of the people of the region. The operationalization of this route also fulfills the Centre's objective to establish strong aerial connectivity in priority areas of North-East India.<br />''<br />''<span style="color: #000000;">Earlier, to reach Shillong from Imphal, people had to take a 12-hour journey by road or they had to take a flight to Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati followed by a bus service to Shillong. Now, people can fly between the two cities by opting for a flight of just 60 minutes from Imphal to Shillong and 75 minutes from Shillong to Imphal.</span><br />