Civil Aviation Minister writes to NE CMs to expedite strengthening of aviation infra in states
NEW DELHI:
Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya M Scindia has written to Chief Ministers of Nagaland, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh, requesting their intervention to expedite matters related to the strengthening of aviation infrastructures in their respective states.
The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has embarked upon the development and expansion of airports in the country at the cost of Rs 20,000 cr in the next four to five years owing to the growing passenger demand in the country, a statement of the ministry said.
In a letter to Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio, Scindia pointed out that in Phase-1, a land of 107 acres is required for the extension of runway by 310m for operations of AB-320 type of aircraft. In Phase-2, a land of 230 acres is required for city-side development, the extension of runway by 600m, and runway strip clearance for operations of AB-320 type of aircraft along with hangars, RESA (Runway End Safety Area), and Isolation Bay, the letter stated.
“An amount of Rs. 0.18 crores, till 31.07.2021, is outstanding on part of the State Government as Viability Gap Funding (VGF) share for Regional Air Connectivity Fund Trust (RACFT),” read the letter.
Scindia also asked the chief ministers of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh to instruct the concerned officers to initiate action for expediting matters such as land allocation, deposition of funds with Regional Air Connectivity Fund Trust (RACFT) and VGF support for International UDAN operations, etc. in the respective states.
In a letter to Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, Scindia referred to the issue of land requirements of 78.5 acres at Dibrugarh Airport, 109 acres at Lilabari Airport, and 116,5 acres and 50 acres at Silchar Airport and Jorhat Airport, respectively.
He specified that while the land required at Dibrugarh Airport will be utilised for future expansion of the airport and necessary runway strip, that at the Lilabari Airport will be used for construction of isolation bay, runway strip, and development of a new Aviation Manpower Training Institute.
“The land requested at Silchar Airport will be used to develop city-side infrastructure and land at Jorhat Airport will be used for the development of a New Civil Enclave,” read the letter.
Out of the total projected land, only 8.5 acres of land has been handed over at Dibrugarh Airport, and the rest are yet to be handed over by the state government.
Scindia had also asked the Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Pema Khandu, to look into the matter relating to land acquisition for various aviation sector projects including land requirements of 5.5 acres for installation of Non-Directional Beacon (NDB), Doppler Very High-Frequency Omni Range (DVOR) protection area and construction of Residential Colony for airport staff at Tezu Airport.
Another 70 acres at Dirang, 34.3 acres at Daporijo, 2.3 acres at Passighat, 7 acres at Along, and 10.6 acres at Ziro will be required, read the letter.
The Union Minister said that the Arunachal government needs to immediately operationalise heliports at Daparizo, Itanagar, Tuting, Walong, Yinghiong, and Ziro, for which a budget of Rs. 8.44 crore per heliport has already been allocated by the ministry under Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)- UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik).
(Edited by Ibankyntiew Mawrie)
ALSO WATCH:
