AAI, state trade barbs over navigation aid

Ludhiana: At a time, when passengers at the Sahnewal airport are flying at perils of their own life, the state authorities and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) are trading barbs over the delay in installation of a navigational aid DVOR. TOI has got exclusive copies of correspondence between the Punjab government's department of civil aviation, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and AAI.
A letter dated February 7, 2011 — written by Sudhir Raja, a member of the planning wing member (AAI), to civil aviation wing of the Punjab government — refers to the decision of removing high tension and low tension overhead power transmission lines that are obstructing the installation of the DVOR facility.
The letter categorically mentions the urgent need to carry out the project. However, even after four months of the decision, the process is nowhere close to starting. The PSPCL has also been demanding nearly Rs 62 lakh from the AAI.
Diversion of high tension cables, which is going to cost separately, is supposed to be facilitated by the Punjab State Transmission Corporation.
City MP Manish Tewari who had blamed the state government for backing out on its commitment told TOI, ''Members of the state government had no compunction about muscling their way into the inaugural flight only to take the credit. But in the last 13 months, ever since the flight started, they have not been able to get even the overhead cables removed.''
04/07/11 Rohan Dua/Times of India

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Categories: Airports Jul 2011, New Jul 2011