New Delhi, Oct. 6 -- With the festive season around the corner, airlines are gearing up to operate more than 1,700 additional flights across key routes to address the travel rush. The move comes after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) stepped in to ensure sufficient capacity and prevent a sharp rise in airfares ahead of Diwali. The aviation regulator reviewed recent airfare trends and held discussions with airlines to address the expected spike in passenger demand during October and November, the DGCA said in a statement released on Sunday. "Accordingly, the DGCA proactively took up the issue/matter with airlines and asked them to augment flight capacities for the festive season by deploying additional flights to meet high demand," it said. Responding to the regulator's call, airlines announced significant additions to their schedules. IndiGo, India's largest carrier, will operate around 730 extra flights across 42 sectors. Air India and Air India Express will together add nearly 486 additional flights across 20 sectors, while SpiceJet will deploy about 546 extra flights across 38 routes, the DGCA said. These additions are aimed at easing congestion and improving availability, especially on popular routes such as Delhi to Mumbai, Delhi to Bengaluru, and Mumbai to Chennai, as people head back home to their families to bring in the festive season. DGCA said they will maintain "rigorous oversight" of both fares and seat availability to protect passengers' interests....