Gill committee meets Aviation secy over Amritsar airport issue

New Delhi: Youth Affairs and Sports Minister M S Gill, heading a committee to suggest steps to improve facilities at Amritsar airport and connectivity from there, today held discussions with Civil Aviation Secretary M Madhavan Nambiar.
The Gill Committee was set up by the Ministry after a delegation from Punjab, led by former cricketer and MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, asked the Centre to take steps to "save" the Raja Sansi Airport from "closure" in the wake some airlines withdrawing flights from there.
Official sources said Gill and Nambiar discussed the modalities relating to the functioning of the panel, which has been asked to submit its recommendations within a month.
Gill, the sources said, has invited suggestions from the industry, flyers and others concerned on ways to improve the functioning of the airport.
While some foreign carriers informed the government over a month ago about their withdrawal from Amritsar due to "purely commercial considerations", Air India and other Indian carriers are continuing their operations from there. The Punjab government had also asked the Centre to take urgent steps to ensure normal flow of air traffic, both domestic and internaional, to holy city of Amritsar, discontinuation of some international flights had hit hard hotel and tourism industry.
24/11/08 Press Trust of India

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Categories: Airports Nov 2008