AAI to spend Rs 80cr for Juhu airstrip facelift

Mumbai: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) plans to give a facelift to the Juhu airstrip (India's first civil aviation airport opened in 1928) within a year. AAI will be investing around Rs 75-80 crore for this project.
The authorities believe that the rejig would help in decongesting Mumbai airport by 15-20%. The airstrip is currently used by small aircrafts, gliders and has a heliport to ferry Oil and Natural Gas Croporation (ONGC) personnel.
V P Agrawal, member-planning, AAI said: "... Initially, the strip will be used only be smaller aircraft, including ATR-42- a 50 seater plane - and later when the strip is extended by 1,500-3,000 ft larger aircraft too would be able to land."
Currently the length of the strip is 800 metres. AAI is waiting for environment clearances which it expects to get within a year or so.
12/10/07 Business Standard

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Categories: Airports Oct 2007, New Oct 2007