Lucknow: The Samajwadi Party government may be going slow on the upgradation of airports in the state, but the Saifai airport in Mulayam Singh's pocket borough of Etawah is an exception. Massive plans are afoot to upgrade and renovate the airport which is not used much except for landing of VIP aircraft and chartered planes of bigwigs close to SP leadership.
Last month Union civil aviation minister Ajit Singh had alleged that the UP government was not cooperating with the ministry for the upgradation of certain airports in the state.
According to sources, the public works department (PWD) has framed a plan to spruce up Saifai airport's runway and lights at an estimated cost of about Rs 4 crore. The renovation is expected to be completed by March this year.
In July last year, the SP government had allocated Rs 1 crore for repair of the airport's boundary and Rs 20 lakh for an inspection house. The tender documents of PWD categorically mention "special repair works" to be carried out at the airport.
05/01/13 Pankaj Shah/Times of India
