Civil-aviation sector needs to tackle hurdles: Patel

Washington: Noting that Indian civil aviation sector is experiencing high levels of growth, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel has said the industry must tackle the shortcomings of inadequate infrastructure and shortage of skilled manpower to sustain the growth.
"We need more pilot training facilities, we need more engineering facilities and we need more technical people. The real challenge is to build infrastructure in the shortest possible time. Otherwise we cannot sustain this kind of growth," he said while attending a session of the United States-India Business Council here on Thursday.
The Indian aviation sector was growing at between 35 per cent to 40 per cent annually with the domestic sector accounting for 48 per cent and the international sector chipping in with 20 per cent, he said.
India must allow private players to build new merchant airports and should promote regional airlines in tier two and tier three cities with one major hub in a region if it aims to widen the sector, Patel said.
The aviation sector have to look beyond the realm of passengers to include cargo and logistics, he said adding trusts should be given to cargo facilities,i.e. more cargo airlines and hubs.
23/06/07 PTI/The Hindu

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Categories: General Aviation Jun 2007