Chandigarh's international flight some way off

Chandigarh: The city's wait for first international flight will not be over as soon as it was expected. The flight from Chandigarh to Sharjah, which was to tentatively begin from November 15, has again been delayed for a month or more because the ministry of defence (MOD) is sitting on the clearance of this proposed flight. Since city airport is mainly a defence airfield, a foreign aircraft can land here only after the clearance from the MOD. Sources said it would take another one month for necessary clearance from the ministry on the request of Air Arabia that has offered to launch the flight.
Even if MOD permits, the airlines will have to take clearance from the director general civil aviation (DGCA). This is not the first time that the delay on part of the MOD has postponed this flight. The issue of transfer of land by the MOD for expansion of civil airport is also pending for long. The matter was discussed during a meeting held in August this year between defence officials, who had assured Chandigarh administration of expediting the procedure of land transfer.
Despite several attempts, no one from the MOD commented on the issue. However, confirming the development, director of Chandigarh airport, Captain H S Toor said once clearance from MOD is received, other formalities would be completed within a short span.
05/11/11 Ajay Sura/Times of India

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Categories: airports aug 2011