Up, up and away! Bareilly hits a high note

Bareillietes are sure flying high this season. And the reason is simple enough -- if things go as planned, they could be boarding flights from the city itself in a span of two to three years, instead of either taking the railway route or even driving to the nearest town that did have an airport. The file had been languishing since 1994 despite the Defence ministry giving its approval for the usage of the Air Force runway by civil aircraft. It was dusted out at the insistence of the Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on his recent trip to the city, which naturally prompted the city's administration into sending the report and fund requirement to the state government.
Talking about the project, DM Bhuvnesh Kumar explained, "We will use the runway of air force for which permission had already been granted. To build the terminal and the hanger we have to acquire some land from forest department and from some farmers. The extension will be done towards Mayur Van Chetna Kendra park adjoining Air Force base. The state civil aviation department is fully funding this project. At least three to five crores will be needed for the construction of hanger, maintenance centre and an air-traffic control tower, among other things."
According to Kumar security considerations too were taken into account, with the Air Force asking for the arrangement of an electronic gate between the civil air terminal and the Air Force runway, the control of which will rest with the Air Force authorities. On whether the cityfolks could have a separate airport in the coming years, Kumar stated that the government saw little point in investing in a separate one since Bareilly was just a place of business.
20/04/07 Mohammad Saif/Times of India

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Categories: Airports Apr 2007