New Delhi: Several states, including Kerala, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, have hit out at the proposal in the draft civil aviation policy to develop only six international airports as travel hubs, citing significant international traffic — both in terms of aircraft and passenger movement — at their airports.
While some states have written to the Civil Aviation Ministry about their reservations, others are expected to take it up with minister in charge P A Gajapati Raju on Tuesday at a review meeting called by him to discuss the draft policy with all stakeholders in Delhi. The draft policy was released by Raju on November 10.
The policy has proposed developing six metropolitan airports — Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad — as major international hubs. In the future, these airports would serve as the main access points for international travel, to and from India, the draft policy states.
Kerala, with Kochi being a major hub for traffic to Gulf countries, is one of the most concerned states. In 2013-14, Cochin International Airport Ltd carried 3.27 million passengers, or 7 per cent of the country’s total traffic, higher than Bangalore and Hyderabad put together. In fact, if passengers from Kerala’s three international airports — Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram — are clubbed, the state’s traffic at 7.38 million is substantially higher than even Chennai (4.53 million), which is third in the pecking order.
30/12/14 Anil Sasi/P Vaidyanathan Iyer/Indian Express
To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline
While some states have written to the Civil Aviation Ministry about their reservations, others are expected to take it up with minister in charge P A Gajapati Raju on Tuesday at a review meeting called by him to discuss the draft policy with all stakeholders in Delhi. The draft policy was released by Raju on November 10.
The policy has proposed developing six metropolitan airports — Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad — as major international hubs. In the future, these airports would serve as the main access points for international travel, to and from India, the draft policy states.
Kerala, with Kochi being a major hub for traffic to Gulf countries, is one of the most concerned states. In 2013-14, Cochin International Airport Ltd carried 3.27 million passengers, or 7 per cent of the country’s total traffic, higher than Bangalore and Hyderabad put together. In fact, if passengers from Kerala’s three international airports — Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram — are clubbed, the state’s traffic at 7.38 million is substantially higher than even Chennai (4.53 million), which is third in the pecking order.
30/12/14 Anil Sasi/P Vaidyanathan Iyer/Indian Express
