Rs90 crore for new air traffic control block at Ahmedabad airport

The long-awaited demand for a new technical block for the air traffic control (ATC) department at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport will finally be fulfilled.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) will spend Rs90 crore to construct a brand new technical block which will enhance the flight handling capacity and provide better control of flights. At present ATC Ahmedabad handles 100 flight movements a day which includes 50 arrival and 50 departures.
Once the new technical block comes up, this capacity will be doubled. Confirming the news, AAI chairman VP Agrawal told DNA that the authority plans to invest in constructing a new technical block for the ATC as the existing block cannot handle the flight movements without any hindrance.
For this purpose Rs90 crore will be spent, he said. The ATC block's capacity was never extended since the inception of the airport, even though the number of flights at the airport has grown manifold. At present, it even lacks enough space to properly seat its staff.
The ATC has 51 employees who work in shifts against the approved strength of 70 employees. "The existing building has become inadequate for us. If all the staff was to come to the office together there is not enough space to seat them," said an official.
15/12/09 Satish Jha/Daily News & Analysis

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Categories: Airports Dec 2009