Shirdi Airport Likely To Be Functional From October

Shirdi: The Shirdi Airport is likely to be inaugurated in October this year for which Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will soon invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Maharashtra Airport Development Authority Managing Director Vishvas Patil said.

Mr Patil visited Shirdi yesterday to supervise the progress of work at the airport, which is in its final stage and also held a meeting with the concerned officials.

"The process of getting permission from various departments is in the final stage. It was discussed in a meeting where our Chief Minister said he will send an invite to the Prime Minister for the inauguration," Mr Patil told reporters last evening.

He said the tower for Air Traffic Control (ATC) has been installed and work of the terminal building has reached up to 250 metres and will be completed by October till a height of around 1,000 metres.

A modern machinery will be set up for security set-up, Mr Patil said, adding that X-ray machine has been installed, while a special fire tender machinery will be imported from Australia.
14/07/16 PTI/NDTV

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Govt to start new airline to boost connectivity in Northeast

The government will start a new airline based out of Guwahati which would connect all state capitals in the Northeast, according to a report in The Economic Times.
The new airline will be a subsidiary of Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd and is likely to operate a fleet of 6 fixed-wing planes and 5 helicopters, the report said.
Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd will own 51 per cent of the subsidiary which will have an equity base of Rs 150 crore. The rest will be owned by North Eastern Council (NEC).
Department of North Eastern Region minister Jitendra Singh took this decision after meeting chief ministers from all Northeastern states.
08/07/16 Business Today

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AAI to assess new airport site as promised by CM Fadnavis: Anil Shirole

Pune MP Anil Shirole has confirmed that a team from Airport Authority of India will do an aeronautical survey at the new airport site in the coming week on Wednesday.
In a meeting convened to assess the airport development projects and expansion in the city, the MP said the survey will be conducted to decide the runway width and the land required for it.
The meeting was attended by members of the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Airport director of Lohegaon Ajay Kumar, PMC officials and policemen.
The congestion on the road to the present airport to Lohegaon and staff quarters for Central Industrial Security Force were also discussed in the meeting. Shirole said a demand of five-acre land has been made for it.
The issue of the pending Lullanagar bridge too was given a boost with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar expected to visit on July 30.
The chief minister had earlier said the Lohegaon airport was being expanded for more flights and talks were on over the issue with the defence ministry.
The industry in Pune has long been demanding an international airport for the city. The Lohegaon airport, being a military airport, has been facing operational constraints with certain hours being off-limits for civilian flights.
The congestion on the road to the present airport to Lohegaon and staff quarters for Central Industrial Security Force were also discussed in the meeting. Shirole said a demand of five-acre land has been made for it.
The issue of the pending Lullanagar bridge too was given a boost with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar expected to visit on July 30.
08/07/16 Indian Express

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Bhiwadi may get India’s first cargo airport

New Delhi: The ministry of civil aviation is likely to select Bhiwadi, a town in Rajasthan near New Delhi, as the spot for the country's first cargo airport and make Jewar in Greater Noida the second passenger airport in the National Capital Region.

"It would make sense to make Bhiwadi the first cargo airport in the region. We are discussing it as a possibility," said a senior official, who did not want to be identified. "One will have to cross Delhi airport to reach Bhiwadi.

So, what is the point of shifting the airport beyond the existing airport? An airport in Jewar would complement the existing airport and help decongest the existing airport," the official added.
06/07/16 Mihir Mishra/Economic Times

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90 new small airports in next 12 months

Chennai: India will push to get 90 new airports up and running over the next 12 months, under a government plan to service smaller cities that have missed out on the country's air travel boom, officials said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to accelerate growth in the world's fastest expanding aviation market while encouraging airlines like IndiGo, SpiceJet and Jet Airways to fly more people to and from smaller, often poorer cities.

Scores of new airports have been built around the country but many are yet to open because airlines do not see sufficient demand as ticket prices are too high for a majority of Indians.

That has raised worries the government is building infrastructure few can afford to use. Civil aviation ministry officials, however, said the government has identified 30 recently-built airports, and another 60 nearing completion, that it says it can get airlines to start flying to soon.

Individual states will offer free land and emergency service support to all newly built airports, while landing charges and taxes on aviation fuel will be kept at low levels, they said.
04/07/16 PTI/News Today

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Air taxi to take off in MP soon

Indore: With Union aviation ministry unveiling the draft Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) to promote regional air connectivity on untouched and remote routes, officials of Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation (MPSTDC) have also geared up to start the much awaited air taxi service across the state very soon.
According to officials, the new draft will likely attract air charter companies and other non-scheduled companies to launch regional services. The intra-state small flights facility has been a long pending demand of passengers, and it is expected to begin very soon from Indore.
03/07/16 Times of India

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2nd airport in Delhi NCR to be constructed at the earliest: Govt

New Delhi: The government's push for regional connectivity may fast track its plans to construct a second airport in the National Capital Region (NCR) as the existing Indira Gandhi International Airport is likely to see an increased load.
At present, two proposals in this regard are under consideration of the Civil Aviation Ministry but a final decision on the issue is yet to be taken, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma said.

Civil Aviation Ministry has at present two proposals -- one for Jewar and other for Bhiwadi (Rajasthan)-- under its consideration in this regard, he said.

Of the two proposals, one is from Uttar Pradesh government which has shown its willingness to construct an airport at Jewar in Gautam Budha Nagar (GB Nagar), Sharma's parliamentary constituency.

"Delhi airport along with other metro airports will see an increased load due to the (enhanced) regional connectivity. So, we will have to construct a new airport in NCR at the earliest," Sharma said at the release of the Draft Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) here.

Stressing that NCR will require another airport "sooner than anticipated", Sharma said "the need for a new airport, that we would have felt after 5-7 years from now, may be felt in the next three years."

The Ministry had received three proposals, one each from UP, Rajasthan and Haryana government to set up an airport at Jewar, Bhiwadi and Rohtak, respectively, he added.
01/07/16 PTI/Zee News

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Survey will be held for airport in Kumaon, Union Min tells CM

Dehradun: The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation will conduct a survey followed by necessary action regarding the demand for construction of airport/airstrip at Chaukhutia in Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. The Union Civil Aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said this in response to a request made by the Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat. The Chief Minister on the other hand also appreciated the ministry for the incorporation of the regional connectivity scheme in the new civil aviation policy of the Union Government stating that it will also help in making the inactive airstrips useful. The CM said this while appreciating aspects of the policy while meeting the Union minister of Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju on Thursday.

Interacting with the union minister, the chief minister informed Raju that at present, the level of utilisation being made of Pantnagar airport in Uttarakhand is below the airport’s capacity. He further elicited the focus of the Union civil aviation minister on the requirement for starting additional air services from the Pantnagar airport to Dehradun-Delhi-Lucknow and other locations.
01/07/16 Pioneer

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