Tuesday, January 05, 2016

SC seeks Air India plan on Shimla-Delhi link

New Delhi: Air India on Monday faced some searching questions from the Supreme Court which wanted to know from the loss-making airline about its “ultimate plan” to connect Shimla with New Delhi and Chandigarh.

“You file a status report as to the feasibility of air service connecting Shimla with Chandigarh and Delhi,” a Bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur said while asking Air India’s Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) to place the report within six weeks.

The Bench, also comprising Justices A K Sikri and R Banumathi, ordered maintaining of status quo on the December 7, 2015 direction passed by the Himachal Pradesh High Court asking Air India, Airports Authority of India and others concerned to start scheduled flights on trial basis from Jubbar-Hatti airport, 22 km from Shimla.

Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, appearing for Air India’s CMD, submitted that the loss-making airline is examining the suggestions to at least connect Shimla and Chandigarh with 40-seater aircraft as the runway at Jubbar-Hatti Airport is very small.

However, the Solicitor General’s submission that Air India is running in loss did not go well with the bench which said the airline should be ready to address such issues.
05/01/16 PTI/The Hindu
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