BIAL proposes, AERA hacks: Rs 2,441 cr cut to Rs 441 cr

In what could be termed as a big blow to the Bangalore International Airport Ltd’s (BIAL), the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA), which

approves the user development fee (UDF) that is levied on air passengers, has brutally slashed most of its expenditure plans. While the BIAL had proposed to

undertake 19 projects at a total cost of Rs 2,441 crore, the regulatory body has reduced it to Rs 441 crore.

AERA dropped some of the projects stating that BIAL cannot charge passengers for facilities that they do not use. The regulatory body has also directed BIAL not

to include the cost of building two Metro stations in the third control period (2022-2026), casting doubts over Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd’s (BMRCL) ability

to complete the Airport Metro corridor work in the next five years.

In its submission to the AERA, the BIAL had disclosed its plans to take up 19 new projects by 2026. A large portion of the capital expenditure was earmarked for

works such as optimising existing Terminal 1 (Rs 241 crore), two Metro stations (Rs 253 crore), new domestic cargo terminal with cool port and refurbishment of

existing cargo (Rs 220 crore), office space (Rs 204 crore) and housing for the Central Industrial Security Force(Rs 369 crore) among others.

After reviewing the proposals that were submitted by BIAL to back its argument for increasing the UDF charges, the AERA has dropped eight projects and has

approved only 11 and instructed the BIAL to trim the budget.

The projects that received a go-ahead include: airside security wall, perimeter road, north-west road expansion, animal quarantine facility, new cargo domestic

terminal, refurbishment of existing cargo facility, water treatment plant etc.

The projects that were dropped from the capital expenditure in the third control period are: cycle tracks (Rs 12.89 crore), multi-modal transport hub (Rs 268 crore),

two Metro stations, parking and canteen facility (Rs 69 crore), landscape works (Rs 69.39 crore), building for administrative works (Rs 204 crore) and housing for

security staff (Rs 370 crore). The AERA also reduced the cost of terminal optimisation by Rs 199 crore to Rs 50 crore.

23/07/21 Naveen Menezes/Bangalore Mirror

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Telangana has not yet allocated lands for new airports: Ministry of Civil Aviation

Hyderabad: The Ministry of Civil Aviation has not received any letter from the Telangana State regarding the allocation of lands for setting up new airports in the state.

The Airport Authority of India has reviewed setting up of six new airports including 3 Greenfield and three Brownfield airports in Telangana.

The Nalgonda MP Captain Uttam Kumar Reddy raised a question in Lok Sabha as to how many airports are there in Telangana state; and how many of them are functional and what is the progress made by the Ministry of Civil Aviation in its plan to set up new airports in the state. 

In a written reply to Uttam Kumar Reddy, the Department of Civil Aviation informed the Parliament that there is a plan to set up six new airports in Telangana including 3 Greenfield and 3 Brownfield airports.

As per the reply of the Civil Aviation, currently, there are two airports in Telangana one is Rajiv Gandhi International Airport and the other one is Begumpet Airport.  Begumpet Airport is meant only for chartered flights.

The government prepared a plan to set up Greenfield airports at Jikranpally (Nizamabad), Pulwancha (Bhadadri Kottagudam) and Mehboobnagar.  A proposal was also submitted for establishing airports at Mamnoor (Warangal), Basantnagar (Peddapally) and Adilabad.  But till the onset of the current month, no instructions were received from the state government for the allocation of the lands.

23/07/21  Mohammed Hussain Ahmed/Siasat Daily

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Full runway recarpeting at Ahmedabad airport in November

Ahmedabad: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) airport in Ahmedabad is all set to go for total recarpeting of its runway by the end of this year. If well-placed sources are to be believed, a complete runway recarpeting project is on the cards in November this year.

Earlier this April, the city airport authorities undertook the runway resurfacing project and the runway remained closed for about eight hours a day for about ten days.

“Recarpeting of the entire runway is very much in the offing,” said a source. “This is being undertaken to build a runway which is at par with international standards, keeping future safety and maintenance concerns in mind.”

23/07/21 Niyati Parikh/Times of India

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Rajasthan CM approves land allotment for new Kota airport

Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has approved the allotment of 1,250 acres of free land for a brand new airport in Kota. The instructions in this regard have been issued to the District Collector, Kota. 

With the approval, the work of the greenfield airport at the new location in Kota will start. Due to various reasons, the expansion of the existing airport in Kota was not possible, the proposal for setting up a greenfield airport at a new location was under consideration, an official statement said. 

On the initiative of the chief minister and after continuous efforts made by the state government, the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation agreed to set up a greenfield airport. 

After the identification of land for the construction and expansion of this new airport by the central and state government officials, the chief minister has approved the free land allotment for the project. The proposed airport will expand air connectivity in the state. With this, the development of Kota and its surrounding areas will speed up. 

23/07/21 PTI/Outlook

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Fire breaks out at city airport, no major damage reported

Ranchi: A minor fire broke out in the CISF chambers situated on the first floor of the old terminal building of Birsa Munda International Airport in Ranchi on Thursday. However, a major mishap was averted due to the pro-active response of fire tenders of Airports Authority of India.

According to airport sources, the fire broke out around 11:45am supposedly due to a short circuit. The fire damaged furniture and the false ceiling wall of the CISF room on the first floor of the old terminal building.

Talking to TOI, airport director of Birsa Munda International Airport Vinod Kumar Sharma said: “A minor fire broke out at the CISF room situated on the first floor in the old terminal building. However, our fire tenders successfully doused it in time. No one has been injured during the incident and a sofa and wooden table was damaged during the incident and the false ceiling was partially damaged.”

On being asked whether flight operations were affected due to the fire, Sharma said: “Operations at the airport were not affected due to the fire.”

23/07/21 Times of India

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Delhi airport's T2 resumes flight operations

New Delhi: Delhi airport's T2 terminal has resumed flight operations from today (July 22, 2021) after a two-month-long gap. Earlier, the terminal was shut down on May 18 due to a significant drop in domestic air passenger traffic as India was reeling under the second wave of COVID-19. 

"The T2 terminal will resume operations with IndiGo's 2000-2999 series flights and entire operations of Go First, and is expecting to witness around 25,000 passenger footfall in the initial phase," said Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL).

The Delhi Airport took it to Twitter and said, "Starting 22nd July, 00:01 AM, Terminal 2 at #DelhiAirport will resume flight operations with@IndiGo6E 2000 series and all @GoFirstairways domestic flights."

The Delhi International Airport Limited also revealed that over 27 counters, including 11 for GoAir and 16 for IndiGo, will be available to cater to the passengers of respective flights. On the other hand, India’s low-cost airlines like Indigo and Go First have issued updates regarding the terminal change on their respective social media handles.

IndiGo’s tweet stated that flight numbers 6E2000-6E2999 will arrive and depart from Terminal 2 of the Delhi international airport.

The T2 terminal was shut down on May 18 this year as the country was witnessing a rise in COVID-19 cases across the country and the number of flights dropped dramatically. Following this, the airport had shifted all its flight operations to the T3 terminal of the Delhi airport. 

22/07/21 ZeeNews

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Weekly flights between Kathmandu, New Delhi increased from 2 to 6: Report

Kathmandu: The national flag carriers of Nepal and India have increased the number of weekly flights from two at present to six on the Kathmandu-Delhi route under the air bubble arrangement between the two countries, a media report quoted Nepal's civil aviation body as saying.

Currently, the services remain capped due to an air bubble arrangement between Nepal and India that allows one weekly flight in either direction amidst the travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

There has been an increase in demand for tickets with an exponential rise in the number of outbound passengers from Kathmandu, mostly travelling for medical treatment, and passengers have been scrambling to get tickets on the route, the busiest and the most lucrative one for the airlines.

Raj Kumar Chettri, the spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, told the Kathmandu Post on Sunday that Nepal Airlines and Air India have been permitted to operate three flights a week each and will be effective from Monday.

While, as per the approved schedule, Air India will operate flights on the sector on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays, while Nepal Airlines, which operates services every Wednesday, is yet to get the slot approval from India's civil aviation regulator, the report said.

In December last year, Nepal and India entered into an air bubble agreement, a dedicated flight service between the two countries following strict health and safety protocols set by the authorities of the respective countries.

22/07/21 Press Trust of India/Business Standard

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Delhi airport’s T2 terminal reopens after two-month COVID-19 closure

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport resumed flight operations from Terminal 2 (T2) on July 22 around two months after the facility's usage was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s second wave.

T2 started handling flight operations on October 1, 2020 after the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic had subsided. However, the terminal was subsequently closed due to a significant drop in domestic air traffic amid the pandemic’s second wave. During this period, only Terminal 3 (T3) of the airport was handling flight operations.

With operations at T2 resuming at midnight, GoFirst (erstwhile GoAir) moved all its domestic operations there.

IndiGo, India’s largest carrier by domestic market share, also moved a part of its domestic operations to T2. Flight numbers from IndiGo’s 6E 2000 to 6E 2999 series will arrive and depart from T2. Other flight of the low-cost carrier will continue to operate from Terminal 3.

GoAir and IndiGo have been allowed to open 11 and 16 counters, respectively at T2 to cater to customers, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) earlier said in a statement.

22/07/21 Moneycontrol

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AAI committees find Adani in violation of branding, logo pacts; Group begins making changes

Three committees of the Centre-run Airports Authority of India (AAI) in January found the Adani group to be in violation of branding norms, prescribed in the concession agreements, at the airports in Ahmedabad, Mangaluru and Lucknow that the conglomerate took over last year.

Consequently, the Adani group companies -- which are operating these three airports -- have started making changes in brandings and displays in order to bring them in accordance with the concession agreements that they had signed with the AAI.

As on June 29, the changes in brandings and displays were in process at Lucknow and Manglauru airports and had been completed at the Ahmedabad airport, the AAI stated.

PTI has accessed various documents related to this matter, including details received in response to RTI queries.

The Adani group won the bids to run the aforementioned three airports in February 2019. Its companies -- Adani Lucknow International Airport Limited (ALIAL), Adani Mangaluru International Airport Limited (AMIAL) and Adani Ahmedabad International Airport Limited (AAIAL) -- signed the concession agreements with the AAI in February 2020. These companies then took charge of airports in October and November 2020.

The AAI in December 2020 found the brandings and displays at the three airports not in accordance with the concession agreements. Therefore, it wrote letters to ALIAL, AMIAL and AAIAL, asking them to take "corrective measures". However, these companies in late December responded that they have not violated the branding norms of the agreements.

A month later, the AAI formed three separate committees to carry out "joint survey" of all hoardings and displays at the three airports and check if they are in compliance with the concession agreements.

Each committee had four members: one executive of the Adani group company that is operating the airport, one official of the Centre-run Engineering Projects (India) Limited and two officials of the AAI.

In late January, the committee formed on the Lucknow airport submitted its report. It said, "The joint inspection committee found that airport name hoardings displayed by concessionaire (ALIAL) at the airport entrance and exit roads has also got Adani Airports written on both sides of Lucknow International Airport hoardings, which is in violation of concession agreement no. 5.15.2."

The committee also found that the name and logo of the AAI was not equally and prominently displayed in other displays where the concessionaire intends to display its own name, which was again violation of the Article 5.15.2 of the concession agreement.

Clause 5.15.2 of the three concession agreements stated that the airports will be known, promoted, displayed, advertised and branded by their name only such as "Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport", "Lucknow International Airport" and "Mangaluru International Airport".

The clause also also stated that if the concessionaire intends to display its own name or its shareholders at the spots where other public notices are displayed for the users, the same will be preceded by the AAI's name.

In late January, the committee formed on the Mangaluru airport found similar violations of clause 5.15.2 by the concessionaire (AMIAL), as were observed by the Lucknow airport's committee.

At the same time, the committee formed on the Ahmedabad airport submitted its report. It also stated that the clause has been violated by the concessionaire (AAIAL) as the AAI's logo is not displayed before the logo of AAIAL and additionally, the size is not uniform.

"The size of the AAIAL logo with respect to AAI is almost 6:1 ratio," the committee on Ahmedabad airport added.

Moreover, the committee on Ahmedabad airport found that the clause 5.15.1 of the concession agreement has been "totally ignored and violated while displaying the identity of the concessionaire (AAIAL)".

Clause 5.15.1 of the concession agreement signed between AAIAL and AAI stated: "The airport or any part thereof shall not be branded in any manner to advertise, display or reflect the name or identity of the concessionaire (AAIAL) or its shareholder."

21/07/21 PTI/Economic Times

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Darbhanga Airport sees uptick in traffic; Slated to witness highest-ever number of flights, passengers in July

The Darbhanga Airport in Bihar has been witnessing a continuous increase in the passenger traffic. On Tuesday, the Airport Authority of India, via its official Twitter account, shared that the growth being witnessed by the airport is impressive, adding that on July 18, i.e. on Sunday, as many as 2,855 passengers travelled from the airport. On that day, 18 flights departed from the Darbhanga Airport. AAI added that the airport had been witnessing “record passenger footfall” since it started its commercial operations on November 8 last year.

As per the numbers shared by the Darbhanga Airport, the airport handled 70 arriving flights carrying a total of 12,648 incoming passengers in November. In the same month, in 70 departure flights, the airport handled 12,185 outbound passengers. The number of arriving and departing flights increased in December to 76, and the total number of passengers, both inbound and outbound, increased to 26,318, registering an increase of about 1,500 over the previous month.

In January, the number of flights as well as total number of passengers dipped, with flights going down to total 132 (66 each for arriving and departing), and total passengers handled dipped to 20,420. In February, number of flights increased to 107 each side, and the passengers handled reached 35,888, and this number only continued to increase in March, when the flights operated were 151 each side and the Darbhanga Airport handled a total of 45,773 passengers, which is the highest number at the airport so far.

In April, while the number of passengers declined to 42,035, likely due to the fact that the second wave had started picking pace, the number of flights the airport operated reached 160 each side. Both the number of flights and the number of passengers dipped in May amid the severe second wave, with passengers handled going down to a little over 30,000. The operations at the airport, however, again picked up in June, when a total of 378 flights (189 each side) were operated, carrying a total of 43,798 passengers.

The airport also gave figures till July 15, when it crossed the figure of 3 lakh in terms of the passengers it handled. Between July 1 and 15, 124 flights each side were operated, and a total of 32,293 passengers were handled by the Darbhanga Airport.

By July 20, the airport had handled 167 flights each side, and at this rate, July could become the month with the most number of flights the airport has handled. Apart from that, by Tuesday, the airport handled 45,299 passengers this month, getting very close to the highest number of passengers it has handled in a month, and it could overtake that figure soon, as well.

21/07/21  Bulbul Dhawan/Financial Express

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New Pune airport terminal building likely to become operational by I-Day 2022

Pune: The new terminal building of the city airport will become operational by August 15 next year, an official from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said.

The official indicated that the project had been delayed by eight months because of the pandemic-induced restrictions.

An airport official said, 55% of the work have so far been completed. “The project has been partially affected because of the current restrictions, as only workers living at the site were allowed to work,” a senior airport official told TOI.

As per an official of Egis India, the company facilitating the design and construction of the new building, had said work was stopped for around 40 days during the first lockdown last year.

The new building, which is expected to increase the daily flight movements, including international flights, is coming up on the eastern side of the existing terminal building. 

Construction of the building started in December 2018 and a multi-level car parking facility (ground, three-storey and two basement floors) was being simultaneously constructed at ‘parking number-1’ of the airport.

21/07/21 Joy Sengupta/Times of India

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Bangalore International Airport Limited Partners with IBM for Digital and IT Transformation

Armonk, N.Y. and Bengaluru, India: and Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) -- operator of Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (KIAB/BLR Airport) -- today announced a ten-year agreement under which IBM and Kyndryl will provide best of breed IT solutions to create a new "Airport in a Box" platform that will support transforming the end-to-end travel experience for passengers at BLR Airport.

As one of the fastest-growing airports in the world, BLR Airport needed a nimble, scalable and cost-competitive technology and operations environment that can increase its agility and operational flexibility to handle future growth in passenger traffic. To achieve this goal, BIAL has selected IBM Global Business Services, IBM hybrid cloud capabilities and Kyndryl, the new, independent company that will be created following the separation of IBM's Managed Infrastructure Services business, to design and implement a next generation architecture with robust and dynamic delivery model. One that is highly efficient, secure, and will enable a seamless travel experience for its passengers. The new platform will also enable BIAL to improve employee productivity, better utilization of IT assets, reduce costs through streamlined inventory control and improved incident management.

The state-of-the-art platform IBM is developing to support BIAL's business growth will be enabled by a comprehensive set of IBM technology and services, enabled by an open hybrid cloud approach from IBM and supported Red Hat Ansible Automation. The platform also will generate AI-powered insights from IBM Maximo enterprise asset management technology to optimize inventory management and total cost of ownership.

21/07/21 PRNewswire

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Instrument Landing System commissioned at VSS airport in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Instrument Landing System (ILS) has become operational at Veer Surendra Sai (VSS) Airport in Jharsuguda of Odisha, officials said on Wednesday.

In a tweet, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) said the ILS will help in precise landing of aircraft at the airport. It will also positively impact flight regularity during bad weather and low visibility conditions. The overall cost of the project is approximately Rs 15 crore.

The new ILS became operational on July 15, 2021. The installation, testing, commissioning and flight inspection of the facility were carried out keeping all Covid-19 related safety precautions in mind, the AAI said.

Prior to the operationalisation of ILS, the flights were landing at the second functional airport in Odisha using Doppler Very High-Frequency Omni Range (DVOR) and Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) procedure, sources said.

In September 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the airport during his visit to Odisha. Currently, Air India and SpiceJet operate flights from the airport to cities like Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai.

21/07/21 Daijiworld

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Khajuraho needs more flights, Scindia has promised Spicejet: BJP MP

New Delhi: Madhya Pradesh BJP state president and Lok Sabha MP Vishnu Datt Sharma on Tuesday said that Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has promised a new flight service for Khajuraho that houses a UNESCO world heritage site comprising a group of monuments that continues to draw a posse of tourists from the West.

Sharma, who is in Delhi to attend the monsoon session of the Parliament , said that Khajuraho desperately needs flight connectivity to culturally-strong cities in India.

“Prime Minister has already put a thrust on development in and around Bundelkhand. Khajuraho has already been chosen among eight cities to have a flying training academy. So next demand was to have a flight connectivity. I met new Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia who has assured to have Spicejet service by October from Khajuraho to Delhi. These are two big and welcome moves, “Sharma said.

20/07/21 Rohan Dua/Times of India

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Only half of UDAN routes operational, Covid-19 to hit scheme further: ICRA

Mumbai: Only 47 per cent of the awarded routes have been operationalised under the government's regional air connectivity scheme and the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic will impact the scheme further, rating agency ICRA said in its report on Tuesday.

The civil aviation ministry launched the UDAN ( Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme in 2016 to connect unserved and underserved airports. The first flight under the scheme took off in April 2017.

The number of new RCS routes which started operations increased at a healthy pace and stood at 102 and 120 routes in FY19 and FY20, respectively, but have declined to 77 in FY21 due to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, ICRA said. Only 39 per cent of unserved and underserved airports have been operationalised, it said.

The scheme is funded through a Rs 50 levy on flight tickets on major routes. The levy contributes to 80 per cent of viability gap funding provided to the airlines and the balance 20 per cent is provided by state governments.

Shubham Jain, SVP & group head, Corporate Ratings, ICRA, said, “The slow progress of UDAN implementation is attributable to delayed upgradation of infrastructure and readiness of airports, due to lack of adequate right of way (including insufficient runway lengths) at some of the RCS airports and delays in securing necessary regulatory approvals. Low demand on few routes awarded, adverse and unpredictable weather conditions leads to inconsistent operations and have also resulted in closure of operations by some airlines in a few cases. The second wave of the pandemic, which started from mid of March 2021 would further impact the UDAN scheme going forward with aviation being one of the worst-hit infrastructure sectors.”

20/04/21 Aneesh Phadnis/Business Standard

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SpiceJet to launch Patna to Siliguri and Darbhanga to Amritsar flights today

Patna: Carrier budget SpiceJet is set to launch its non-stop flight from Patna to Siliguri (Bagdogra airport) on Tuesday. The airline will also start one flight between Darbhnaga and Amritsar via Mumbai the same day.

SpiceJet’s average daily aircraft operating at Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport will be increased to 15 with the commencement of a flight to Bagdogra airport in Siliguri. According to the airline’s executives, the Siliguri flight will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

The flight SG-3725 will leave Patna at 3.05pm and land at Bagdogra at 4.10pm. On return, it will touch down at Patna airport at 5.55pm. It will complete its one-way journey in one hour and five-minutes.

The airline’s executive at Patna airport told this newspaper that SpiceJet has recently launched three flights on Kolkata, Surat and Bengaluru routes after the Centre eased the cap on its operations. “We hope the flight to Siliguri would get good response from the flyers. The booking for the flight scheduled for July 20 is almost full,” he said.

Patna airport is presently operating 35 flights on different non-stop routes, including Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Surat, Kolkata, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Chennai and Amritsar.

20/07/21 Times of India

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FlyBig likely to resume service soon

Shillong: Regional airline FlyBig, which had started a Shillong-Delhi flight last year but suspended it later, is all set to resume its service once again.

An official of the Transport department said on Monday said that the company had suspended its flight service due to low occupancy and the COVID-19 restrictions.

A FlyBig official said that they are planning to resume the services shortly.

The official also said that they had suspended their operation because the company did not have an aircraft of its own to operate on the Shillong-Delhi route.

20/07/21 Shillong Times

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Cochin airport plans to renovate Terminal 2

Kochi: In order to find more revenue streams, Cochin International Airport Ltd (Cial) has come up with a plan to renovate its Terminal 2 (T-2), which is not in use since 2019 following the shifting of domestic operations to renovated Terminal 1. T-2 will be converted into three utility blocks, which will house an exclusive area for business jets’ operation, a VVIP safe house and budget rooms for passengers’ short stay.

Cial managing director S Suhas said the director board chaired by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had given in-principle approval for the conversion plan of T-2. The works will begin in August.

“We are lining up several short-term as well as long-term projects for activating new revenue streams. The civil work of the five-star hotel project has gained momentum. The conversion of T-2 is another ambitious idea to tap potential revenue. We plan to accommodate a Business Jet terminal, a VVIP safe house and a transit hotel in the sprawling T-2 which stands unused now,” Suhas said.

A meeting convened by the MD has finalized the blueprint which envisages a cost-effective renovation of the interior of T-2 into three blocks. Thirty per cent of the built-up area will be used for block one which will be converted into an exclusive business jet terminal with 3 lounges. This terminal will cater to both international and domestic business jets. Exclusive areas for customs, immigration and security holding operations will be allotted.

“Block-2 will have an area of 10,000 sqft and is earmarked to house a VVIP safe house. This concept will ensure a hassle-free movement of passengers during the VVIP movement. Block-3 will have an area of 60,000 sqft. Cial is planning to build 50 budget rooms for short-stay of passengers at the airport. It is planned to apply the dynamic tariff concept; wherein the rent will be calculated on hour-based scale. Cial plans to complete block 1 and 2 in one year,” said a statement.

20/07/21 Times of India

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Navi Mumbai International Airport construction will help boost Indian economy: Bhupendra Shah

The greenfield Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 16,700 crore will boost the economy of India that is competing with the likes of the US and China in the global arena. It is not simply an infrastructure project meant for Navi Mumbai, says Bhupendra Shah, chairman and managing director of Bhumiraj group, one of Navi Mumbai’s leading developers.

The proposed airport project that is spread over 1,160 ha is coming up in Ulwe Kopar-Panvel region. Along with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, it will be the second international airport in Mumbai Metropolitan Region. With domestic and international cargo terminals, NMIA will be a part of the country’s first multi-airport system.

Shah, who is also the Chairman Trustee Board of Builders Association of Navi Mumbai (BANM), said, “The proposed airport is actually not Navi Mumbai requirement but that of Mumbai.”

He explained, “It has actually reduced land by as much as 7,200 acres here. Height-related issued have led to several projects being stuck for the past 15 years. The airport project was first conceptualised in the mid-90s. We are now in 2021 and the airport is nowhere in sight. Development has stopped in the region around the airport area.”

On the project effect so far, Shah said, “The announcement of the project years back has boosted sentiments in the region. Land prices have appreciated manifold up from Rs 10,000/sq m to over Rs 2.5 lakh/sq m due to such sentiments.”

Appreciating CIDCO on its rehabilitation package for persons affected due to the airport construction, Shah said, “CIDCO has not given a single rupee to the project affected persons, but offered 22.5% of development land to them along with a number of other benefits. This is a good move. CIDCO has come up with an excellent plan which is the best in the country.”

On the benefits of the project, Shah said, “The project will bring along with it employment on a large scale. There will be huge direct job opportunities at the airport itself. There are also a number of airport-related industries and services that will come as the project picks up.”

He added, “International hotel chains and restaurants will come along with shipping companies, clearing and forwarding agents, couriers etc. The hospitality industry will generate over 50,000 jobs, the courier companies over 40,000 jobs and so on.”

20/07/21 Animesh Kumar/Print

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Hyderabad: Shamshabad International Airport Eases Air Traffic

Hyderabad: Today Air traffic at Hyderabad Shamshabad International Airport will be further eased. Four new Rapid Exit taxiways have been made available at the Hyderabad airport to reach the stand before take-off and after landing. Earlier there were four taxiways available now four new rapid exit taxiways have been built and brought into use. There was congestion of the plane, take-off, the landing has been having trouble many times, due to the lack of taxiways. A lot of time was getting wasted on this. Keeping this in mind, airport officials have built the taxiways. This will reduce the congestion on the runway and increase air traffic capacity.

Currently, there are 36 aircraft on the runway, which will now increase to 45. Moreover, the basic runway restoration work at the airport has been completed and is active, officials said. As part of the runway renovation aeronautical ground lighting was installed. In the Shamshabad International Airport, 98% of the lights are converted to LEDs. These lights will help to make the airfields clearly visible even during adverse weather conditions.

20/07/21 Kahekashan/Hans India

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Negative RT-PCR report must for flyers coming to West Bengal if not fully vaccinated against Covid-19

All passengers flying to West Bengal, on both commercial and non-commercial flights, will have to produce either a certificate that shows they are fully vaccinated or a Covid-19 negative (RT-PCR) test report, the state government wrote to the civil aviation ministry on Monday.

The decision will be implemented with immediate effect, West Bengal Home Secretary BP Gopalika wrote to Civil Aviation secretary PS Kharola.

Passengers need to produce proof of their full vaccination or a Covid-19 negative test report at the time of boarding. The RT-PCR test must be conducted within 72 hours of the departure of the flight.

Meanwhile, there was no Covid-19 death in the city while three fatalities each were reported in Darjeeling and Paschim Medinipur on Monday, the health department said.

20/07/21 PTI/Indian Express

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India’s Second-Richest Man Is Now The Country’s Largest Airport Operator

Billionaire Gautam Adani’s Adani Airport Holdings Ltd. (AAHL) took control this week of Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, the second busiest airport in the country, after completing all formalities and obtaining necessary approvals.

AAHL had signed a deal with the Hyderabad-based GVK Group in August 2020 to acquire its 50.5% stake in Mumbai International Airport Ltd. (MIAL), that had built and was operating the Mumbai airport until now. AAHL acquired another 23.5% stake in February this year for 16.85 billion rupees ($225 million) from the two foreign partners in the company, Airport Company of South Africa and Bidvest, taking its stake up to 74%. The government-owned Airports Authority of India holds the remaining 26%.

AAHL is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Gujarat-headquartered Adani Enterprises, which has interests in various areas including mining services, solar manufacturing, roads, airport services, and data centers.

The acquisition also entitles Adani to a 74% stake in the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport, which will be the second airport for India’s commercial capital. At a cost of $2.2 billion, Navi Mumbai’s first phase was to become operational in 2023 and the airport was to be completed in phases by 2031.

Mumbai’s airport is the country’s second busiest airport for both passenger and freight traffic, after Delhi International Airport, which is operated by diversified infrastructure group GMR.

According to information available on the Airports Authority of India website, in May 2021, Mumbai International Airport handled 434,680 passengers–380,495 domestic and 54,185 international–or 9.8% of all air passenger traffic in the country. The airport handled 9.5% of all aircraft movements that same month, while nearly 26% of all air freight in the country passed through the Mumbai airport in the same period.

Before the pandemic, in May 2019, MIAL handled 13.5% of all passenger traffic, 11.5% of all aircraft movements and 26.7% of all airfreight.

19/07/21 Ramakrishnan Narayanan/Forbes

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Zurich Airport Signs Shareholder Agreement with NIAL for Upcoming Noida Airport

The Zurich Airport International on Saturday signed a shareholder agreement with Uttar Pradesh government entity NIAL in Lucknow for the development of the Noida International Airport, a statement said. Arun Vir Singh, CEO, Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL), and Christoph Schnellmann, CEO, Yamuna International Airport Pvt Ltd (YIAPL), signed the agreement in the presence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and senior state government officials, the Zurich Airport International said in a statement.

YIAPL is a 100 per cent subsidiary of Zurich Airport International and has been incorporated to develop the Noida International Airport in Jewar, which is around 70 km from the main Delhi region. Speaking during the virtual programme, Adityanath expressed happiness over the progress of work on the Jewar airport even in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the agreement, NIAL will hold one golden share in YIAPL and the right to nominate two directors to the board. “The directors to be added to the board will be Arun Vir Singh, CEO NIAL, and Vishak Iyer, Director, Civil Aviation, Government of Uttar Pradesh," the agreement stated.

The shareholder agreement also underpins the UP government’s support to “establish and continuously improve surface access to the airport, establish and expand utilities required to run the airport (water, electricity, wastewater), maintain law and order, including monitoring the airport, and grant the necessary clearances to build and operate the airport". “The signing of the shareholder agreement is the next step in the direction of progress for the state. The Noida International Airport will be the benchmark for a modern, world-class airport in India," a statement quoted Adityanath as saying. “It will accelerate the development of industrial infrastructure, boost tourism, promote exports, ease air traffic and lead to the creation of more jobs in the state. It will generate multi-dimensional progress, leading to economic development in Uttar Pradesh," he said.

19/07/21 PTI/News18.com

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Work on Noida airport to begin in few weeks as per plan despite Covid: CEO

Mumbai: Preparatory works for the Noida International Airport will begin in the next few weeks, its chief executive officer Christoph Schnellmann said.

The airport will handle 12 million passengers a year in the first phase and despite the Covid-19 pandemic there is no change in its design and schedule, he added. The airport will be completed within three years of the start of construction.

The greenfield airport spread over 1334 hectares is being developed as a public partnership between the Uttar Pradesh government and Zurich Airport which outbid Adani Enterprises and GMR group to win the project.

Schnellmann expects to receive possession of the land and begin initial construction activities in the next few weeks. This would include earth works, construction of boundary wall, access for utilities among others. Tendering process to select an EPC contractor to build the terminal and airside facilities is underway and will b ecomplete in the next few months. The airport is slated to open in 2024.

While the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted air travel, Zurich Airport is pinning hopes on recovery in air traffic in India. The demand rebound post the first and second waves of pandemic and need for a second airport in Delhi-NCR region are factors influencing the group’s planning. “We are confident that the growth will return. There is no change in schedule or the design,” he said. “Covid-19 has been disruptive to aviation but the quick recovery of domestic travel gives us confidence.”

The first phase of the airport is expected to cost Rs 5,700 crore. Zurich Airport will be investing Rs 2000 crore and the balance has been tied up with a loan from the State Bank of India. So far Zurich Airport has invested around Rs 200 crore in the project this year and that is used to fund its current operations and engineering and design activities.

19/07/21 Aneesh Phadnis/Business Standard

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Hyderabad airport adds four new rapid exit taxiways

Hyderabad: In a move that is set to enhance its runway capacity, four new Rapid Exit Taxiways (RETs) have been commissioned at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA).

While the current runway capacity of the international facility stands at 36 aircraft per hour, the additions are likely to increase the movements to more than 45 aircraft per hour.

Along with this, the GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHAIL) has also successfully commissioned its primary runway after major rehabilitation works.

"The new RETs will improve operational efficiency. They are designed to allow aircraft to taxi off the runway at relatively shorter distances and, hence, increase runway capacity. In addition to this, rehabilitation will increase the Pavement Classification Number (PCN) and friction values of the runway, thereby enhancing safety of aircraft being operated,” a release issued by GHIAL stated.

19/07/21 Sudipta Sengupta/Times of India

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Security beefed up at Kolkata airport following bomb threat; later turns out to be hoax

Kolkata: Security was beefed up at Kolkata airport and 145 passengers getting off an Emirates flight from Dubai underwent additional frisking following a bomb threat alert received by the Air Traffic Control at Kolkata airport on Sunday morning that read: “There may be Bomb threat from the aircraft originating from Dubai. Those flights need to be monitored closely.”

However, after a thorough check of the flight as well as the passengers, airport authorities allowed the aircraft to fly back to Dubai as cops and officers engaged with airport security termed the threat to be a hoax. However, cops said they are trying to track down the origin of the message. A similar threat was received by Mumbai airport on Saturday morning which had also turned out to be false.

On Sunday, the airport’s Air Traffic Control (ATC) in Kolkata received the alert from Military Liasoning Unit (MLU) in Kolkata. It did not specify if the flight was to land in Kolkata or overfly the city towards China or a country in South East Asia. While an Emirates flight from Dubai was headed to the city around that time, there were others that were scheduled to overfly Kolkata.

18/07/21 Tamaghna Banerjee/Times of India

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Noida international Airport at Jewar: Zurich Airport International signs shareholder agreement with NIAL

Noida has been looking forward to getting an international airport for a long time, and now, the Zurich Airport International has signed a shareholder agreement with Noida International Airport Limited or NIAL, an entity under the Uttar Pradesh government, for the development of the Noida International Airport. The agreement was signed by NIAL CEO Arun Vir Singh and Zurich Airport International’s 100% subsidiary Yamuna International Airport Pvt Ltd (YIAPL) CEO Christoph Schnellmann, while UP CM Yogi Adityanath was present. The YIAPL has been incorporated for the development of the Noida International Airport in Jewar, about 70 km away from the main Delhi region, according to a report by news agency PTI.

The agreement entitles NIAL to hold a golden share in YIAPL, along with the right to nominate to the board two directors. The two directors being added to the board are NIAL CEO Arun Vir Singh and UP Civil Aviation Director Vishak Iyer.

The agreement also states that the state government would establish as well as continuously improve the conditions of surface access to the airport, and also establish and expand the utilities like water, electricity and wastewater that are needed to run the airport. Apart from this, maintenance of law and order, including airport’s monitoring, along with grant of required clearances are also areas in which the UP government would support the entities.

Speaking on the occasion, CM Adityanath said that the Noida International Airport would become the benchmark for an airport in India that is “modern, world-class”, adding that it would not only lead to job creation in the state, but would also quicken the industrial infrastructure development, promote exports, provide a boost to tourism and ease the air traffic.

18/07/21 Financial Express

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Late evening flights between Jammu & Delhi likely from July 23: Jitendra

Jammu:  Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Sunday informed that the much-awaited night flight from Jammu is likely to operate from July 23.

Taking to microblogging-site Twitter, Dr Singh wrote: “News that should bring Cheer to all. After our constant persuasion for the last 5 years, it has been decided to operate a late evening Air Flight between #JAMMU and #DELHI, most likely from Friday, 23rd July.”

#GoAir has agreed for it,” he further added.

Union Science and Technology Minister also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for helping J&K.

“Thanks PM Sh @narendramodi ji, you have always been generous to #JammuAndKashmir.”

Night flights from Jammu to prominent destinations of the country was one of the major demands of the people.

18/07/21 Daily Excelsior

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MIAL veteran R K Jain to be Adani Group CEO (Airports)

New Delhi: Adani Group, now India’s biggest private aviation player in terms of having the maximum number of airports under it, has finalised its core team for this sector. R K Jain, who has been Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) CEO since inception, will be Adani Group’s CEO (Airports). While he will report to Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL) CEO Malay Mahadevia, the CEOs of group airports will report to Jain.

The headquarters of AAHL, wholly owned by Adani Enterprises, is being relocated from Mumbai to group base Ahmedabad to “foster collaborative working and agile decision making which is of paramount importance at this stage of (its) journey.”

Mahadevia announced the new organisation structure after AAHL has taken over MIAL and will start work on Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd (NMIAL).

Behnad Zaidi, former Fraport USA CEO who was Adani Group’s CEO for airports, will now be CEO of non-aero at AAHL. The group has major plans to develop areas around its airports on the lines of Singapore Changi to attract non- travellers to spend time there.

Prakash Tulsiani will take over as CEO of MIAL; Captain B V J K Sharma as CEO of NMIAL; B G Gandhi CEO will be chief airport officer at Ahmedabad; Nirav Shah will head Managlore and Vishnu Jha will head Jaipur airport. Manoj Katar will be head of operations at MIAL, India’s second busiest airport and the world’s busiest single runway airport. MIAL veteran Rekha Nair will be head of customer experience and quality at AAHL.

18/07/21 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Foundation of Dibrugarh airport's runway extension laid

The foundation of Dibrugarh Airport's runway extension project was laid by the Airports Auhority of India to mark the 75th anniversary of Indian Independence (Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav), officials said on Saturday.

The foundation stone ceremony on Friday was attended by Dibrugarh Deputy Commissioner Pallav Gopal Jha as chief guest, Airport Director Ramjee Awasthi and other officials. 

The project, with an estimated cost of Rs 35 crore, will increase the length of the runway of the Dibrugarh airport from the current 1,830 metre to 2,290 metre.

The deadline for completing the project is December 31, 2022.

Airport officials said that the project will enhance the safety of aircraft operation, lessen the load penalty to the aircraft apart from reducing the minima to operate in low visibility with CAT-I lighting system.

Currently, the construction work of the Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower and hanger is also going on at the airport at a cost of Rs 31 crore.

The ATC tower and hanger will be completed by March 31, 2022.

The new ATC tower with increased height, equipped with all modern facilities like fully air-conditioned lifts and LED lights will enhance air traffic management as well as overall safety at the Dibrugarh airport.

17/07/21 PTI/Deccan Herald

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Assam govt withdraws notification that waived off COVID test in airport and railway stations

Assam government has withdrawn the earlier notification which waived COVID test in airport and railway stations for persons who took two doses of vaccine.

Anurag Goel, Principal Secretary to the Government of Assam, Health & Family Welfare Department stated, “Whereas, strict containment measures including continuous screening of incoming passengers through airports and railway stations are being conducted in the state of Assam to prevent spread of COVID; and Whereas, COVID positivity is observed even in some of the person(s) who have received two doses of vaccination in a few instances.”

He added, “Therefore, this earlier office Order No. HLA.264/2020/21 Dated Dispur the 25th June, 2021, exempting people who have been vaccinated with two doses of COVID vaccine from mandatory testing on arrival at airports or railway stations in Assam, is hereby withdrawn with immediate effect”.

17/07/21 Bikash Singh/Economic Times

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Ahmedabad airport gets a medical store

Ahmedabad: Tend to forget your essential medicines when flying to another city? You can now buy medicines from the city airport itself. A medical store was inaugurated at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) airport in Ahemdabad on Friday at the domestic terminal i.e. Terminal-1. Two such stores have been set up – one at the departures area of the domestic terminal and other in the arrivals area.

According to airport authorities, the medical stores, even though situated within the terminal building will provide medicines to any point in the airport. “For instance, if someone is in the parking and requires medicine, one can call and the medical store manager will make it available,” said a well-placed source at the city airport.

17/07/21 Times of India

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Mumbai Airport commences passenger flight operations between Mumbai and Male

From July 15, 2021, CSMIA is offering 04 direct flights, two each by IndiGo as well as GoFirst that are operated twice a week between Mumbai and Male. Recently Maldives has opened its country for tourists, vaccinated tourists are allowed to travel.

Travel to Maldives continued through the period of January-March 2020 until the suspension of international passenger flight operations. Since then, CSMIA has catered to the route once more from October 2020 onwards.

Overall, during 2020, CSMIA witnessed the movement of over 371 flights carrying 46,735 passengers between Mumbai and Male. 

Prior to the suspension of travel between Maldives and India in May 2021 due to the outbreak of the second wave in India, Maldives continued to have a regular flow of passengers from Mumbai. The airport handled a total of 493 flights carrying approximately 57,765 passengers during this time with the route being operated by IndiGo, GoFirst and Vistara; IndiGo catered to the highest passenger traffic with 31,077 passengers while GoFirst and Vistara handled 23,763 and 2925 passengers, respectively. Furthermore, CSMIA noted over 30,725 departing passengers and 27,030 arrivals, indicative of the preference of city dwellers to travel to the land of white sandy beaches, pristine blue waters, sunny skies and tropical experiences.

On July 7, 2021, Maldives announced that tourists travelling from South Asia will be issued visa-on-arrival and allowed to stay in Tourist Resorts with effect from July 15, 2021. Towards this end, the Maldives government has also issued a list of resorts along with their respective opening dates to help tourists to plan their travel. The assurance of a visa-on-arrival at Maldives to Indian travelers provides an ease from regulations for enthusiastic adventure-seekers and leisure tourists and encourages spontaneous holiday planning. As a pre-requisite for the visa, passengers need to ensure that their passports have at least 1-month validity from the date of their expected departure in the Maldives as well as provide proof of a confirmed pre-booking at a registered tourist facility. Further enticing travelers, Maldives is also offering a tourist visa extension for long-stay tourists without levying any extra cost.

16/07/21 ZeeBiz

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Boost to air connectivity: Eight new flights from Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal: SpiceJet launched eight new flights from Madhya Pradesh on Friday. Addressing the virtual inauguration of the new flights, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that expansion of air services will create a better environment for investment in the state and for new opportunities for development and progress.

He added there is a need to start chopper services for Pachmarhi. Union Civil Aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia joined the programme from New Delhi.

SpiceJet air services was launched by CM Chouhan and Union Minister Scindia. These flights are from Gwalior to Pune, Ahmedabad and Mumbai and from Jabalpur to Surat. The airline will operate three days a week from Gwalior to Pune and four days a week between Gwalior to Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Air service facility will be available between Jabalpur and Surat for three days a week.

The CM said that there is an urgent need of international connectivity for Indore and Bhopal, which can later be extended to Gwalior and Jabalpur. With the increase of air services, tourism activities in Khajuraho, Mandu, Bhim Baithka, Ujjain, Omkareshwar, Maihar, Datia, Chitrakoot etc. will get a boost in the state. Helicopter services are needed for Pachmarhi and national parks. The citizens of the country will benefit from the UDAN Yojana launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to operate flights from small cities.

With Jyotiraditya Scindia as the new Union Civil Aviation Minister, the expectations of the people of the state have increased from the aviation sector, CM Chouhan said. “There is also ample scope for expansion of Aviation Academy and in the Maintenance and Repair Operations sector in the state,” he added.

17/07/21 Times of India

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Soon flights to commence between cities in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat

Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday flagged off eight new routes to boost regional aerial connectivity from Madhya Pradesh to Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Budget carrier SpiceJet will begin to operate flights on these 8 new routes which include: Gwalior-Mumbai-Gwalior, Gwalior-Pune-Gwalior, Jabalpur-Surat-Jabalpur, and Ahmedabad-Gwalior-Ahmedabad.

Minister Scindia said, “I would like to congratulate the people of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat on the commencement of the new flight operations. Besides, additional flights between the Delhi-Jabalpur route will also commence from July 18 onwards, and Khajuraho-Delhi-Khajuraho flights from October 2021 onwards. We are committed to bolster regional air connectivity and take the Prime Minister's vision of Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) to greater heights!”.

Gwalior is one of the first airports of Madhya Pradesh to be connected with the UDAN route and further enhancements in the air traffic led to the advent of additional regional routes. Gwalior is now well connected with Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, & Jammu as UDAN routes and Mumbai, Pune, & Ahmedabad as non-UDAN routes. The city is famous for its historical buildings like- Gwalior Fort, SaasBahu Temple, Tomb of Mohammad Ghaus, PhoolBagh, Gujari Mahal Museum, TeliKaMandir, Gwalior Zoo, Moti Mahal & Jai Vilas Palace. The new routes will boost the aerial connectivity of Gwalior, the tourism city of Madhya Pradesh with the trade hubs of India, Maharashtra and Gujarat, and further improve economic activity, the Ministry said in a statement.

The commencement of these routes fulfils the objectives of the Ministry of Civil Aviation to enhance the regional connectivity of the Tier-2 & Tier-3 cities with the metro cities of the country. With the flag-off, Jabalpur airport is now connected with Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Pune as non-UDAN routes & with Bilaspur as UDAN route.

Jabalpur is the administrative and educational centre of Madhya Pradesh. Home to Dhuandhar Falls, Madan Mahal Fort, Balancing Rock, Bargi Dam, Gurudwara Gwarighat Sahib, and Dumna Nature Reserve Park, the city is also a major tourist hub. Inauguration of these routes achieves the aim of the Sab Uden Sab Juden initiative under the UDAN scheme to strengthen the established aerial network of the country while providing a catalyst to the local economy and tourism.

17/07/21 ETNowNews.com

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Air passenger traffic at Tirupati airport picks up

Tirupati: The passenger traffic has been gradually increasing at Tirupati airport for the past few days with the significant drop in Covid cases. At least, 16 flight movements could be seen per day which have been experiencing about 30 per cent increased occupancy rate. Compared to the corresponding period last year there was a significant improvement this year as there were no restrictions on flight movements during the partial curfew period too.

According to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) traffic data, the number of passengers has gone up steadily from a mere 916 in May 2020 to 22,322 in September and further to 58,029 by January 2021. It reached a peak of 65,110 in March 2021 with 855 flight movements. However, due to the Covid second wave, it has witnessed a steep fall in the next two months to register 37,634 passengers in April and 6,698 in May.

Accordingly, the number of flight movements have declined from 855 in March to 702 in April and to 228 in May. Both the number of passengers and flight movements have witnessed slight increase in June as the Covid cases started receding and continuing the momentum now. In June a total of 138 flights were operated with 276 movements while 17041 passengers travelled through the airport.

17/07/21 V Pradeep Kumar/Hans India

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Bengaluru airport sees 4.83 lakh kgs of mango exports between Mar-June

Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, also known as BLR Airport, announced on Friday that it had processed 4,83,460 kg of mangoes for export in four months between March to June 2021. The airport added that the month of June witnessed the highest movement of mangoes with 1,89,822 kg of the seasonal fruit processed. A total of 1,58,936 kg of mangoes were processed in May, 1,10,886 kg in April and 43,776 in March.

India exports its mangoes to various places in the world and this year, Doha has emerged as the leading importer of mangoes from Bengaluru, according to a Kempegowda International Airport. Doha imported 1,40,000 kg of mangoes from Bengaluru. While London with 68,000 kg and Singapore with 55,000 kg were placed second and third in terms of mangoes imported from Bengaluru. However, as is evident, Doha was far ahead of the competition in terms number of mangoes it had imported.

"Backed by two reputed cargo terminal operators - Air India SATS and Menzies Aviation Bobba Bangalore- BLR Airport has the infrastructure required to ensure the fruits reach their destinations maintaining their quality as well as freshness," noted BLR Airport in the release.

The airport added that in order to ensure quality and freshness, mangoes are stored and moved to the aircraft within the required temperature range. This reduces the waiting time at the airport terminals when exporting mangoes.

16/07/21 Mohammad Haaris Beg/BusinessToday.in

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NPRAAF raises questions over proposed Ciethu airport

Dimapur: A day after the state chief minister Neiphiu Rio took to twitter to thank the ministry of defence for conveying “No Objection” for Ciethu Airport in Kohima, the Nagaland Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum (NPRAAF) has questioned whether the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had conducted survey and issued “eco-techno, feasibility and safety clearance” for development of Ciethu greenfield airport.

NPRAAF through its information and publicity cell has urged the chief minister to clarify whether defence ministry or civil aviation ministry was the right body to conduct survey and issue NOC. The forum also sought to know whether NOC from the defence ministry was “good enough to go ahead with purchase of land and construction of approach road and other needful development for establishing an airport.”

NPRAAF said that the matter was not about NOC issued by defence ministry, but why did the state government acquire “such a colossal area of land to be paid compensation without obtaining feasibility report and technical clearance from the AAI and civil aviation ministry.”

16/07/21 Nagaland Post

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Spicejet resumes services from Vijayawada airport

Vijayawada: After a three month long hiatus, SpiceJet has finally resumed its services at Vijayawada Airport from Friday. The airline stopped its service during the second wave of Covid-19. With the number of positive cases declining in the state, the airline has once again resumed operations with a flight from Vijayawada to Bengaluru taking off on Friday. Vijayawada Airport used to operate 46 flights daily during the pre-Covid period.

However, during the second wave, barely 8 to 12 flights were being operated per day with Indigo and Air India being the sole providers to restricted destinations like Hyderabad, Bengaluru and New Delhi. Official sources said that the occupancy of the flights had taken a hit due to restrictions imposed at the destination by the respective state governments.

Airport officials are hoping to see more international flights in the coming months with the extended runway becoming operational.

17/07/21 Times of India

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Woman duped of Rs 1 lakh on promise of job in Hyderabad airport

A woman was defrauded by a cyber criminal who extorted Rs 1 lakh from her on the promise of job at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA).

Getting into details, the woman registered her details on a job site from where the cyber criminals contacted her. They promised her to provide job in airport and extracted Rs 1 lakh in the name of processing fee. The woman transferred the money to their bank account. However, after a few days, the woman received no response from them following which she approached the police.

In the complaint, she mentioned that the accused did not answer her phone calls after she transferred the money. The police registered a case and took up the investigation.

16/07/21 Roja Mayabrahma/Hans India

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Demolish buildings taller than 45 metres near Jakkur airport: Minister

Bengaluru: Cracking down on building plan violations around the Jakkur aerodrome in North Bengaluru, Sports and Youth Empowerment Minister K C Narayana Gowda on Thursday ordered the BBMP to demolish buildings that are taller than the approved 45 metres in the vicinity of the airstrip. 

The Jakkur aerodrome houses the Government Flying Training School, the only flying school in Karnataka. 

Holding a meeting with BBMP officials at the Vikasa Soudha, Gowda cited the rule laid down by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that no person shall construct a building above 45 metres within a five-kilometre radius of the Jakkur aerodrome. A preliminary survey ordered by the minister reportedly showed at least 15 buildings that are taller than 45 metres. He called for demolishing all such buildings. 

Gowda directed BBMP and sports department officials to carry out a drone survey of the area to identify the buildings that have violated the rule and submit a detailed report in 15 days. While some buildings were constructed without theNo Objection Certificates (NOCs), a few others flouted the height rule by violating the building plans, he said.  As per a survey done by the Airports Authority of India, 11 buildings violated the DGCA rule while a survey by the Jakkur flying school put the number at 14.  A senior official who attended the meeting said some building owners refused to cooperate with surveyors. The minister has now ordered a resurvey of the area.

16/07/21 Niranjan Kaggere/Deccan Herald

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Budget airlines SpiceJet starts eight new flights connecting Madhya Pradesh from today

Bhopal: In a recent development, budget airliner SpiceJet started operating eight new flights connecting Madhya Pradesh with Maharashtra and Gujarat from Friday. The services are being seen as a major boost to the central government's UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme which aims to enhance air connectivity to remote areas at an affordable price.

In a tweet, the civil aviation ministry wrote, "@flyspicejet will commence operations on these eight new routes: Gwalior-Mumbai-Gwalior, Gwalior-Pune-Gwalior, Jabalpur-Surat-Jabalpur, & Ahmedabad-Gwalior-Ahmedabad." 

The ministry said the new flight routes will boost aerial connectivity of Gwalior and Jabalpur with Maharashtra and Gujarat and further improve economic activity.

The routes were virtually flagged off at an event on Friday which was attended by the newly appointed aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

16/07/21 Alphonse Joseph/One India

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Surat skies to witness traffic once again

Surat: High flying Surtis can cheer once again as air traffic at Surat airport is going to soar once.

Private flight operators will connect the Diamond City with various major economic and tourist hubs of the country. While Indigo has planned new destinations from July 23, SpiceJet will be starting flights on new sectors from Friday.

Surat will be connected with Pune for the first time as SpiceJet plans to start a morning flight four days a week. Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh will be another new destination with three flights from Surat in a week. Besides these two new sectors, SpiceJet will operate flights to Kolkata via Patna, Jaipur, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

Indigo, on the other hand, will start a daily flight to Hyderabad and flights to Goa, Chennai and Bengaluru thrice a week, official sources in the airport said.

Several flights to and from Surat were suspended as the second wave of pandemic wreaked havoc in the country. The daily passenger footfall, which reached 4,000 in a day in March, had dropped significantly, but is currently seeing a steady rise.

16/07/21 Times of India

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Vijayawada International Airport's extended runway becomes operational

Vijayawada: The extended runway at Vijayawada International Airport (VIA) became operational on Thursday morning. Air India flight No. AI-459 from New Delhi was the first flight to land the extended runway. The total length of the runway is now 3,360 metre, which could facilitate landing and take off of aircraft such as Boeing 737, 747 and Airbus-30.  

“With the commissioning of the Transit Terminal on January 12, 2017, the Centre has embarked on an initial runway expansion project. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has expanded the runway, which included re-carpeting and strengthening the 2,286-metre existing runway and extending it by another 1,074 metres, at a cost of `160 crore,”Airport director G Madhusudana Rao said. 

With the extended runway becoming operational, VIA is the largest airport in the State with a runway capable of handling Code-E type aircraft. Second to Vijayawada airport is Visakhapatnam International Airport with 3,048 metre runway. Category-C type aircrafts are handled at the terminal. Besides that, the newly installed Doppler Very High Frequency Omni Range (DVOR) was also commissioned in line with the extended runway, he added.

16/07/21 New Indian Express

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Instrument Landing System commissioned at Jharsuguda airport

The all-weather instrument landing system (ILS) has been commissioned at the Jharsuguda airport in Odisha, an official said. The ILS is a precision-based approach that will provide pilots both vertical and horizontal guidance during landing, the Veer Surendra Sai Airport director said.

The ILS was commissioned on Thursday. The system uses radio signals to provide necessary guidance to the pilots while they approach for landing even during rain, low clouds and smog.

"ILS gem added in the crown @aaijharsugudaa1. Instrument Landing system commissioned w.e.f 15th July. ILS is a precision based approach which will provide pilots both vertical and horizontal guidance during landing," the airport director tweeted.

Though this airport was meant for only Visual Flight Rules operation, later it had been observed that the city witnessed low visibility and bad weather during most of the year. This caused delay and cancellation of the scheduled flights, an official said.

The Veer Surendra Sai Airport in Jharsuguda district has been developed by the Airports Authority of India in collaboration with the Odisha government at an estimated cost of Rs 210 crore, with Rs 75 crore contribution from the state.

16/07/21 PTI/Economic Times

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Kota administration initiates process for allotting 1,250 acres land for Greenfield Airport project

The Kota district administration has initiated procedure to transfer 1,250 acres of land free of cost to the Airports Authority of India for the proposed Greenfield Airport here, officials said. The order in this regard was issued on Wednesday, they said.

"The Rajasthan government has decided to allot 1,250 acres of land free of cost to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) near Shambhupura area in Kota district for the Greenfield Airport project," it stated.

District Collector Ujjawal Rathore said the required procedure has been initiated to transfer the land to the AAI.

A six-member team of AAI, accompanied by local administration officials, had already visited the site and carried out technical assessment following which the AAI team had approved the land for the Greenfield Airport in Kota, officials added.

15/07/21 PTI/Economic Times

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Jaipur airport’s first dog squad retires after serving for a decade

Jaipur: The first batch of dogs inducted in the CISF team at Jaipur airport in 2012 retired on Wednesday after serving the force for nearly a decade.

The six dogs — three males and three females — are sniffers who in their careers have had many laurels to their names, including participating in the Republic Day parade and serving at Srinagar airport apart from sniffing out contrabands. Additionally, five dogs were inducted into the squad as their seniors bowed out.

After successful completion of 10 years of service, the male dogs namely Bario, Edision and Benson along with their female colleagues Xena, Krissy and Edana retired in a ceremony held at the CISF unit line. All the dogs are Labradors, which were born in 2011 within months of each other. They underwent training at dog training centres in couple of locations of paramilitary forces though the new batches of the canines have graduated from CISF dog training centre in Ranchi. While Army gives rank to their canine colleagues, the CISF does not at present.

During their service, Bario participated in All India Police meet held in 2019 while Edana participated in inter-sector competition at RTC Behror in the same year. She was also deployed at Srinagar Airport for internal security duties from February 2020 to January 2021. Bension participated in the 70th Republic Day parade in New Delhi.

15/07/21 Yashika Budhwar/Times of India

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Adani Group takes over Mumbai airport

New Delhi: The Adani Group on Tuesday took over the reins of Mumbai Airport, checking in with a majority 74% stake in Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL).

The GVK Group, which built the “peacock” style Terminal 2 at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), has exited MIAL with Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Adani Enterprises, acquiring its entire 50.5% stake along with the 23.5% stake in MIAL held by two foreign firms.

Airports Authority of India holds the remaining 26%.

AAHL will begin the construction of the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) next month and complete the financial closure in the next 90 days. This new international airport will be commissioned in 2024, the infra major says.

In a tweet, Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani said: “We are delighted to take over management of the world class Mumbai International Airport. We promise to make Mumbai proud. The Adani Group will build an airport ecosystem of the future for business, leisure and entertainment. We will create thousands of new local jobs.”

The Adani Group is now India’s biggest airport operator with eight airports in its fold.

While Mumbai is India’s second busiest airport, AAHL — “India's largest airport infrastructure company” — now handles almost a quarter of India’s air traffic and “will now also control 33% of India’s air cargo traffic,” the company said in a statement.

It took over MIAL from the GVK Group following a board meeting on Tuesday and after getting all required approvals received from the Centre and state governments and the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) of Maharashtra.

“Our larger objective is to reinvent airports as ecosystems that drive local economic development and act as the nuclei around which we can catalyse aviation-linked businesses. These include metropolitan developments that span entertainment facilities, e- commerce and logistics capabilities, aviation dependent industries, smart city developments, and other innovative business concepts,” said Gautam Adani.

The Adani Group is betting big on its seven functional airports and the upcoming one at Navi Mumbai with India expected to be the world’s third largest aviation market by 2024. This, it says, “provides a transformational aviation platform allowing the Adani Group to interlink its B2B and B2C business as well as create several strategic adjacencies for the Group’s other B2B businesses.”

13/07/21 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to be under Adani Group’s management

On Tuesday, Adani Group announced that it has taken over the management of Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport from the GVK group. Post the stake purchase transaction, Adani Group will have 74% stake in Mumbai Airport with 50.5% being bought from GVK Group and 23.5% bought from minority partners including Airports Company South Africa and Bidvest Group. In a statement, Adani said that the company’s larger objective is to re-invent airports as ecosystems that drive local economic development as well as act as the nuclei around which it can catalyze aviation-linked businesses.

According to Adani, these include metropolitan developments that span entertainment facilities, aviation-dependent industries, smart city developments, e-commerce and logistics capabilities as well as other innovative business concepts. The International Airport of Mumbai is India’s second busiest airport (after IGI Airport in Delhi) by both passenger as well as cargo traffic. According to the company, Adani Airport Holdings is now the nation’s largest airport infrastructure company with eight airports in its management and development portfolio, accounting for 25% of airport footfalls. It further said with the addition of MIAL, now AAHL will also control 33% of the country’s air cargo traffic.

The company believes that while the world navigates its way out of an unprecedented crisis, in India and the rest of the world, post-pandemic demand for air travel is likely to surge. It is expected by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) that the global passenger traffic will recover to 88% of pre-COVID levels by the year 2022 and exceed pre-COVID levels in the year 2023, the company stated.

According to the company, with India becoming the world’s third-largest aviation market by the year 2024, the addition of Mumbai’s CSMI Airport to the Adani Group’s existing portfolio, and thereafter the greenfield Navi Mumbai International Airport’s operationalization, provides a transformational aviation platform enabling the group to interlink its B2B and B2C business. Besides, it will also allow the group to create several strategic adjacencies for its other B2B businesses, Adani added.

14/07/21 Devanjana Nag/Financial Express

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Cochin International Airport prepares SOP to monitor drones flying around airport

Kochi: The increased use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or drones within the vicinity of the Cochin International Airport Ltd (Cial) has become a safety threat for the aircraft landing and taking off from the airport.

Cial authorities said that some individuals, agencies and video production houses are operating drones in the district without obtaining prior permission from the authorities. Many such cases were being reported by the aircraft pilots who spotted the presence of drones while approaching the airport for landing.

The airport operator approached the police seeking action against those operating drones without acquiring permission from the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA).

Cial has issued a notice regarding the illegal flying of drone/UAVs within three kilometre perimeter of the airport. Cial has prepared a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the surveillance and detection of drones flying around the airport. The decision was taken at the annual aerodrome committee meeting held last week.

The meeting convened by the district collector has sought opinion from various stakeholders, including officials of central industrial security force, DGCA and air traffic control (ATC), related to airport operations and safety. Sources said that ATC has raised the complaints by several pilots about the sightings of drones flying near the flight path dangerously.

14/07/21 Times of India

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Rapid PCR test for international fliers at Kolkata airport to give Covid report in 15 minutes

Kolkata: A rapid PCR test capable of delivering the report within 15 minutes will be launched at Kolkata airport once the United Arab Emirates removes India from the red list and allows people to fly from India to Dubai and other cities there. Passengers will be issued boarding passes only once they clear the test.

Kolkata airport director C Pattabhi said HLL Lifecare Ltd (HLL), a Government of India enterprise that has set up a Covid testing laboratory at the airport, will offer the Rapid PCR test as soon as UAE gives its nod to passenger flights from India.

Now, flights from UAE are allowed to arrive with passengers but the return flight is not allowed to carry any flier. UAE and several other countries have marked India on the no-fly list to stop the spread of Delta mutation of Covid-19.

“The laboratory is currently offering Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and TrueNat for domestic departure and international arrival. When Emirates, Fly Dubai and IndiGo resume flights to the UAE, the Rapid PCR test will be offered at the international departure wing,” the director said.

14/07/21 Subhro Niyogi & Tamaghna Banerjee/Times of India

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Now, one in four air travellers in India walk through Adani’s airports to catch a flight

The Gautam Adani-led Adani Group has completed the takeover of the Mumbai International Airport from the GVK group, taking it to the top of the heap in terms of airport infrastructure companies in India.

“With India becoming to be the [sic] world's third largest aviation market by 2024, the addition of the Mumbai International Airport to the Adani Group’s existing portfolio of six airports provides a transformational aviation platform allowing the Adani Group to interlink its B2B [business-to-business] and B2C [business-to-consumer] business as well as create several strategic adjacencies for the Group’s other B2B businesses,” the company said in a statement on Tuesday.

Adani Airport Holdings currently owns a 74% stake in Mumbai International Airport. As a result of this take over, the group’s airports now account for a fourth of the total footfalls at airports across India, and a third of the total air cargo handled.

The Mumbai International Airport will be operated by Adani Airport Holdings, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Adani Enterprises. With this take over, the company now has six airports in its bag – three airports in Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Mangaluru are being operated by the company already, while the takeover of three other airports in Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram and Jaipur is yet to complete.

Additionally, the Adani Group will also set up another airport in Navi Mumbai – the company says it will achieve financial closure in the next 90 days. It plans to operationalise the Navi Mumbai airport by 2024.

It won bids to operate these airports for a period of 50 years after participating in a tendering process conducted by the Airports Authority of India.

14/07/21 Rounak Jain/Business Insider

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India’s first pod taxi to operate between Jewar Airport and Noida Film City

Indian Port Rail and Ropeway Corporation Ltd (IPRCL) has prepared a Detailed Project Report or DPR for the pod taxi service between Noida Airport at Jewar and Film City. This is a 14 km stretch. Zee Business’ Sameer Dixit Reports.

IPRCL has prepared a Detailed Project Report or DPR for the pod taxi service between Noida Airport at Jewar and Film City, Dixit says. This is a 14 km stretch, he adds.

Indian Port Rail and Ropeway Corporation Ltd (IPRCL) has prepared a final draft for the DPR for the 14 km taxi pod line and has submitted it to the Yamuna Authority. This will be India’s first pod taxi service.  Now Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) board will discuss about the final DPR and if everything goes well, the DPR will be approved. The final approval has to come from the Uttar Pradesh Government.  

14/07/21  Sameer Dixit/ZeeBiz

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Airport footfall declines 30% in May MoM

Indian airports saw a sharp fall in the number of passengers in the month of May as only 4.46 million passengers travelled during this period compared to 12.46 million passengers in April, data from the Airport Authority of India (AAI) showed. The data includes both domestic and international passengers.

The breakup shows 3.96 million domestic and 500,000 international passengers in May compared to 11.09 million domestic and 1.37 million international passengers in April.

The freight processed by Airports also fell to 238,190 tonne compared to 266,010 tonne in April. The number of flights came down by nearly 50 percent from 143,980 in April to 74,730 in May.

May was a tough month for the aviation sector due to the second wave of COVID-19 infections. While the decline has been arrested, the sector has a long way to go to even reach pre-pandemic numbers, a senior airline official told LiveMint.

The aviation sector is dependent on too many factors such as vaccination, lockdowns relaxations in curbs and travel restrictions etc.

National capital Delhi recorded 8,15,436 domestic passengers. Mumbai followed with 3,80,495, Bengaluru was at 3,73,017, Hyderabad at 2,68,893 and Kolkata at 2,42,854.

In the international passenger category, Delhi again led the pack with 1,65,924. It was followed by Mumbai with 54,185 passengers, Kochi at 47,969, Chennai at 38,406 passengers, and Hyderabad at 35,826.

14/07/21 CNBCTV18.com

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APFTA expands their operations to establish a Flight Training Organization at Kalaburagi Airport

Hyderabad: Asia Pacific Flight Training Academy (APFTA) Limited has recently entered into an agreement with Airport Authority of India (AAI) for establishing a Flight Training Organization (FTO) on Design, Build, Operate, Maintain and Transfer (DBOMT) basis at Kalaburagi Airport in Karnataka for 25 years.

This is in line with the vision of APFTA to produce the best well rounded aviation professionals with the highest standards of integrity, safety, discipline and professionalism.

APFTA Limited is a DGCA approved FTO, based at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) & Begumpet Airport, Hyderabad and has been established to provide World-Class Pilot Training to aspiring Cadets.

The Agreement was signed by M Hemanth DP, Chief Executive Officer – Asia Pacific Flight Training & Mr Gnaneswara Rao Airport Director (AAI), Kalaburagi Airport, a release here said on Tuesday.

On this occasion, Mr Hemanth who has a vast experience of Indian Aviation Industry stated, that “I am thankful to Airport Authority of India, DGCA & Ministry of Civil Aviation, for facilitating this initiative under Prime Minister of India’s ‘Athmanirbhar Bharat’ & ‘Make in India’ vision in Pilot Training.

India is expected to be the third largest Aviation market in the world by 2025 and there is a huge requirement for well-trained pilots in India.

Civil AviationMinister Hardeep Singh Puri stated in Rajya Sabha in September 2020 that India requires 9488 Pilots by 2024-25. Hence, the government is fully committed to the urgent need to upgrade the Flight Training infrastructure to meet the growing demand, he said.

13/07/21 UNI

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HPCL Aviatsion wing commissions fuel station at Rupsi Airport

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) Aviation wing has commissioned its aviation fuel station at Rupsi Airport in Assam's Kokrajhar district. Aircraft will now be able to fuel at Rupsi airport itself and this is a significant step which will lead to the development of the area, HPCL officials said.

Earlier flights coming to Rupsi had to refuel from Guwahati and Kolkata.

Rupsi airport has resumed flight services on May 8 this year, after a gap of 38 years, with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) re-developing the Rupsi airport under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Rupsi airport, located 18 km from here, presently operates flight services four days a week to Kolkata and Guwahati.

Meanwhile, Secretary of Rupsi Airport Revival Committee Jyotirmoy Chakraborty on Monday demanded public transportation for passengers to and from the Dhubri ASTC bus stand and airport during the flight hours.

"Passengers to and from Dhubri and Gauripur town and airport are finding transportation a huge problem due to the distant location of the airport", Chakraborty said.

He urged the Dhubri district administration and state transport authority to provide immediate public transport facilities.

12/07/21 PTI/Economic Times

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Regional Connectivity Scheme adds another wing at Dibrugarh Airport in Assam

The Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) has added another wing at the Airports Authority of India’s Dibrugarh Airport in Assam.

Domestic carrier Indigo started another flight under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) – UDAN programme of the Government of India, in its schedule to Imphal. The Indigo flight number 6E 7948 is now connecting Kolkata and Imphal with Dibrugarh, daily.

R. Awasthi, Airport Director said that the increase in the number of flights along with connecting various destinations is making Dibrugarh Airport an aviation hub for travelers from around the country and the world. The RCS- UDAN scheme has added wings to the existing travel experience, especially for first-time travelers. Presently, there is a maximum of nine flights departing from Dibrugarh Airport, handling around 1200 passengers every day, amid Covid-19 related advisory. And we are optimistic that once the restrictions are lifted, the airport will reach its pre-Covid level air traffic growth enabling passengers more convenience in air travel, he added.

Now Dibrugarh Airport is connected with four state capitals of North Eastern India namely, Guwahati, Agartala, Imphal and Dimapur.

12/07/21 Bikash Singh/Economic Times

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RT-PCR Report Not Required for Fully Vaccinated Passengers Arriving at Mumbai Airport

Mumbai: The Domestic passengers who are fully vaccinated will now be exempted from carrying negative RT-PCR reports when they enter Mumbai airport, according to the reports. To recall, the government in its guidelines issued earlier made a negative RT-PCR test report mandatory for all passengers arriving on domestic flights into Mumbai at the time of boarding the flight. Earlier today, BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal had written to the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra and recommended that fully vaccinated people arriving in Mumbai can be exempted from the mandatory RT-PCR test

Important Details:

-The Maharashtra government had imposed restrictions on domestic passengers arriving in the state on May 12.

-As per the order, any passenger arriving by any mode of transport was required to carry negative RT-PCR test conducted 48 hours prior to commencing the journey.

-The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai issued directives pertaining to domestic passengers arriving in the city of Mumbai.

-These restrictions were primarily imposed on the passengers arriving from Gujarat, Goa, Delhi, Rajasthan and Kerala.

-Owing to the increase in number of cases, it was decided to impose restrictions on all the passengers arriving in Mumbai from any part of the country.

13/07/21 Victor Dasgupta/India.com

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COVID-19 and lockdown period see Mumbai airport’s automotive cargo surpass pharma cargo

As India battled against COVID-19 when demand for medicines and medical equipment went through the roof, the country’s second-busiest airport, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport Mumbai (CSMIA), saw automobiles emerge as the biggest sector in cargo movement.

Between April 2020 and May 2021, CSMIA witnessed a shift in the import and export of goods transported through the airport, with automobiles accounting for the highest movement, dominating 31 percent of the total volumes at the airport, followed by pharma goods at 29 percent.

The rest of the share came from electronics goods and engineering foods, agro-products and chemical goods. Prior to the pandemic, pharma goods had the largest share of airport shipments at 26 percent while automobiles controlled 23 percent, as per exclusive data shared by the CSMIA with Moneycontrol.

CSMIA cargo facilitated the movement of approximately 360 tonnes of automobiles, handling over 180 cars in the period between April 2020 and May 2021. Pre-COVID, CSMIA Cargo had facilitated the transportation of over 150 cars, handling over 270 tonnes of automobiles from April 2019 to the February 2020 period.

“Imports of automobiles poured in from destinations such as Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Prague and Stuttgart from airlines such as Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines during this time period. Carriers like Magma Aviation Freighter, Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, among others, are featured commonly in automobile exports to destinations like Frankfurt, London, and Sharjah”, CSMIA said.

Among the brands exported via the airport, the most prominent movement at CSMIA included the export of the deluxe McLaren sports cars to Sharjah in December 2020. Another record included the shipment of 50 cars of brands such as Skoda and Volkswagen through Magma Aviation to Frankfurt in February 2021. This latest export has broken the airport’s earlier record of transporting 30 cars on a single carrier.

13/07/21 Swaraj Baggonkar/Moneycontrol

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Hyderabad International Airport Commissions Another 5 MW Solar Project

The GMR Hyderabad International Airport (GHIAL) has commissioned its second phase 5 MW solar project and raised its solar power capacity to 10 MW.

In 2015, the airport had commissioned a 5 MW solar project for its captive consumption.

The project is spread over an area of 45 acres, with more than 30,000 solar panels installed to produce 10 MW of power. Both the solar projects have ABB central inverters and polycrystalline photovoltaic (PV) modules.

With the commissioning of this additional capacity, GMR Hyderabad International Airport will reduce its power dependency from the Telangana State Electricity Board by 12 MU per year and save around ₹9 million (~$120,697) each month.

With this addition of solar power generation, 50% of the energy requirements of the Hyderabad airport will be met, leading to a reduced carbon footprint of about 2.8 million kg of carbon dioxide, which amounts to conserving 140,000 full-grown trees.

Pradeep Panicker, CEO, GHIAL, said, “GMR Hyderabad International Airport is committed to green and renewable energy, and this is a major milestone for us and a critical step in the right direction. As a sustainable airport operator, we have rolled out many initiatives to actively reduce carbon emissions. As a member airport of the Airports Council International (ACI), we are committed to attaining net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.”

13/07/21 Rahul Nair/Mercom

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'Regional Connectivity Scheme' gets another wing in Northeast

The ambitious RCS (Regional Connectivity Scheme) of the Government of India has added another wing at AAI's (Airports Authority of India) Dibrugarh Airport in Assam. On July 12, 2021, domestic carrier 'Indigo' started another flight yet under the 'RCS-UDAN' programme, in its schedule to Imphal. The Indigo flight number 6E 7948 is now connecting Kolkata and Imphal with Dibrugarh, daily. This flight will take around 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach Imphal from Dibrugarh.

The inaugural ceremony was held in the presence of Airport Director (Dibrugarh Airport) R. Awasthi; Assistant Commandant (CISF) Gautam and other Airport officials of AAI and Indigo along with a few of the first passengers. Expressing his views on the inaugural flight, Airport Director R. Awasthi said that the increase in the number of flights along with connecting various destinations is making Dibrugarh Airport an aviation hub for travelers from around the country and the world. The RCS- UDAN scheme has added wings to the existing travel experience -- especially for the first-time travelers. Presently, there are a maximum of nine flights departing from Dibrugarh Airport, handling around 1,200 passengers every day following the COVID-19 advisories. We are optimistic that once the restrictions are lifted, the Airport will reach its pre-COVID level air traffic growth by providing the passengers more convenience in air travel,'' he added.

Now Dibrugarh Airport is connected with four State capitals of the north-eastern India namely, Guwahati, Agartala, Imphal and Dimapur.

The flights under the 'RCS-UDAN' scheme has connected various remote areas of North East India and helped boost travel and trade. It has also reduced the travel time significantly and added convenience to passengers coming from Arunachal Pradesh and Assam with Manipur.

13/07/21 Sentinel 

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HPCL Aviation wing commissions fuel station at Assam's Rupsi Airport

Dhubri: Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) Aviation wing has commissioned its aviation fuel station at Rupsi Airport in Assam's Kokrajhar district.

Aircraft will now be able to fuel at Rupsi airport itself and this is a significant step which will lead to the development of the area, HPCL officials said.

Earlier flights coming to Rupsi had to refuel from Guwahati and Kolkata.

Rupsi airport has resumed flight services on May 8 this year, after a gap of 38 years, with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) re-developing the Rupsi airport under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Rupsi airport, located 18 km from here, presently operates flight services four days a week to Kolkata and Guwahati.

Meanwhile, Secretary of Rupsi Airport Revival Committee Jyotirmoy Chakraborty on Monday demanded public transportation for passengers to and from the Dhubri ASTC bus stand and airport during the flight hours.

"Passengers to and from Dhubri and Gauripur town and airport are finding transportation a huge problem due to the distant location of the airport", Chakraborty said,

12/07/21 PTI/Business Standard

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Hyd airport seeks phase-wise hike of UDF & other charges from Oct

Majorly impacted by the pandemic, the operator of Hyderabad Airport has sought a phase-wise hike in user development fees (UDF) and other aeronautical charges starting this October, up to March 2026. It proposes to raise the current fee per departing domestic (Rs 281) and international passenger (Rs 393) to Rs 728 and Rs 2,200, respectively, in this period (see box).

Incidentally, the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) had slashed GMR Hyderabad International Airport’s (GHIAL) UDF from Rs 430 (domestic) and Rs 1,700 (international) from April 1, 2020, to the current levels. A proposal for part of the overall higher aeronautical tariffs — a mix of UDF and other regulated levies like landing and parking charges — for the third control period (FY 2022-26), has been submitted to AERA for approval.

The regulator, in turn, has sought comments from the public and stakeholders on the tariffs sought by GHIAL and will accordingly decide the rates. Bengaluru Airport has also sought phase-wise steep hike in UDF and other aero charges. The GMR Group is currently undertaking expansion work at its existing airports — Delhi and Hyderabad — apart from building a greenfield one on Goa.

The Hyderabad airport’s capacity is being hiked from the original 1.2 crore passengers per annum to over 3.4 crore. With the pandemic crippling air travel since last March, revenues of all aviation stakeholders like airlines, airports and flight caterers has been severely hit.

13/07/21 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Sabeya airport is part of UDAN scheme: Gopalganj MP Alok Kumar Suman

Patna: The Sabeya airstrip at Hathua in Gopalganj district is part of the Regional Connectivity Scheme-UDAN as an ‘unserved airport’. A letter in this regard was issued to JD(U) MP Alok Kumar Suman by former Union civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri on July 2.

Earlier, the Gopalganj MP had requested Puri to begin flight operations from the Sabeya airstrip under the UDAN scheme.

Suman told this newspaper over the phone from New Delhi on Monday that the airstrip in Gopalganj was last used in 1968. “I will talk to the officials concerned for upgradation and renovation of the Sabeya airstrip so that commercial flight operations can begin soon,” he added.

According to Puri’s letter, no airline has submitted a proposal to operate commercial flights from Gopalganj yet.

Suman said, “As soon as some airlines show interest in launching flights from the Sabeya airstrip under the UDAN scheme, a civil enclave will be developed there. International flights may also operate from there in future.”

13/07/21 Faryal Rumi/Times of India

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CHIAL gives Rs 3.20 cr to Punjab govt as interim dividend

Chandigarh: The Chandigarh International Airport Limited (CHIAL) on Monday presented a cheque of Rs 3.20 crore to the Punjab government by way of first interim dividend against the state''s 24.5 per cent equity share in the airport project.

The cheque was presented by the CHIAL CEO to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who also reviewed the progress of the development of the airport with senior officials of the state government and CHIAL, according to a government statement.

The Chief Minister stated that the state government was fully committed to supporting the development of the airport which held great promise for the overall growth and development of the tri-city and its hinterland in the Mohali district, it said.

CHIAL CEO apprised the Chief Minister about the 25 flights currently under operation, connecting 16 destinations with Chandigarh.

13/07/21 PTI/Outlook

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Civil Aviation Ministry team visits Kargil Airport for exploring civil operations

Leh: In order to explore the possibilities for operation of civil airline services in Kargil district, Joint Secretary Civil Aviation, Government of India, Usha Padhee along with the Secretary, Civil Aviation, Ladakh Saugat Biswas and technical officers from Airport Authority of India, Spice Jet and Local Air Force inspected the technical feasibility for civilian operations from the Kargil Airport today.

Deputy Commissioner and CEO, LAHDC Kargil Santosh Sukhadeve, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Kargil Tsering Motup, Additional (SP) Kargil Iftikhar Talib Choudhary, ACR Kargil Abdul Gaffar Zargar, Under Secretary Civil Aviation Mohammad Shabir, technical experts from Spice Jet Captain Gurucharan Arora and Bala Subramanian, members of the Airport Authority of India (AAI) Malkeet Singh and Gaurav Raghuvanshi, officers of Kargil Airport besides other concerned officers were present on the occasion.

Various trial landing and takeoff simulations were conducted over the airport on the Pawan Hans MI-172 aircraft and possibility of test flying smaller jets were also explored keeping the safety of civilian passengers at the forefront.

Deputy Commissioner Kargil Santosh Sukhadeve apprised the Joint Secretary Civil Aviation GoI Usha Padhee that adequate land is available for future extension of the runway if so required.

12/07/21 Daily Excelsior

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Additional land being allotted to the greenfield airport

Nellore: Additional land is being acquired on a war-footing as part of a bid to develop airport-linked industries and cargo handling facilities at the proposed greenfield airport at Dagadarthi near Nellore.

A reason for extending the scope of the proposed airport is the fast pace of development at industrial parks and the special economic zones in the district.

Nellore is the lead district in terms of investment and income generated both in agriculture and allied sectors as also the manufacturing industry sector.

Nellore is industrially well-connected to South-East Asia through the Krishnapatnam Port, which is India’s largest private port. The Ramayapatnam port is another planned port coming up in neighbouring Prakasam district.

Nellore city also serves as an important industrial node along the Vishakapatnam – Chennai and the Chennai – Bangalore industrial corridors.

The proposed airport site is located about 30km north of Nellore. The site is situated on the west side of the Guntur-Chennai Highway (NH-16) and 26km away from Krishnapatnam port and 50km from Ramayapatnam port.

Recently, the AP government through its infrastructure corporation (INCAP) appointed RITES for updating of the techno-economic feasibility study (TEFS) report (primarily, updation of the passenger traffic forecast and cost estimates) and for a fresh cargo potential study.

Revenue authorities handed over 1,100 acres of land to the Andhra Pradesh airport development corporation (APADCL), an the SPV (special purpose vehicle). Some 488.42 acres belonging to the forest department is being acquired now, said district collector KVN Chakradhar Babu.

13/07/21 Deccan Chronicle

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