The state government’s ambitious plan to build a world class airport at Ayodhya and recreate a mythological ambience buttressed with modern infrastructure to surpass Vatican and Mecca in footfalls, may just hit an air pocket, going by the ground reality.
The government has asked Airports Authority of India (AAI) to upgrade the World War II airport in Ayodhya, which is lying almost defunct, barring limited landings by state choppers and small aircraft. Currently, touchdown on the tarmac is restricted to one flank because of a towering flyover in close proximity on Ayodhya-Sultanpur Road, which hinders flying operations. Also, the no-fly zone over the Ram Janmabhoomi site, just 8km from the airport, will remain a big challenge.
Both the Centre and state government want to fast-track logistics, including setting up five-star hotels and shopping malls and the Rs 650-crore phased modernization plan of Ayodhya airport is top priority to cater to swelling pilgrims after the Ram temple is built.
However, aviation experts and senior pilots in the aviation department expressed concern over the feasibility of a modernization blueprint and apprised seniors about their worries. Senior aviation officials, particularly those with flying experience of thousands of hours, point out that touchdown is confined to the East-West direction. The western side is blocked by a flyover, making it impossible to turn the current airstrip into a bustling world class airport.
06/12/19 Subhash Mishra/Times of India
To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline
The government has asked Airports Authority of India (AAI) to upgrade the World War II airport in Ayodhya, which is lying almost defunct, barring limited landings by state choppers and small aircraft. Currently, touchdown on the tarmac is restricted to one flank because of a towering flyover in close proximity on Ayodhya-Sultanpur Road, which hinders flying operations. Also, the no-fly zone over the Ram Janmabhoomi site, just 8km from the airport, will remain a big challenge.
Both the Centre and state government want to fast-track logistics, including setting up five-star hotels and shopping malls and the Rs 650-crore phased modernization plan of Ayodhya airport is top priority to cater to swelling pilgrims after the Ram temple is built.
However, aviation experts and senior pilots in the aviation department expressed concern over the feasibility of a modernization blueprint and apprised seniors about their worries. Senior aviation officials, particularly those with flying experience of thousands of hours, point out that touchdown is confined to the East-West direction. The western side is blocked by a flyover, making it impossible to turn the current airstrip into a bustling world class airport.
06/12/19 Subhash Mishra/Times of India
0 comments:
Post a Comment