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Scindia’s letter to CM revives hopes for five airports
In his letter, Scindia requested the CM to instruct officers concerned to initiate action on matters such as deposition of funds with the Regional Air Connectivity Fund Trust and viability gap funding support for international UDAN flight operations, according to a statement by the ministry of civil aviation.
Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia’s letter to chief ministers of five states, including of Bihar, seeking their personal intervention in matters related to land allocation and funding to boost aviation infrastructure has rekindled hopes for an airport at Purnia, Raxual and Muzaffarpur, extension of runway at Patna airport and upgrade of navigational aids and building a civil enclave at Darbhanga airport.
In his letter, Scindia requested the CM to instruct officers concerned to initiate action on matters such as deposition of funds with the Regional Air Connectivity Fund Trust and viability gap funding support for international UDAN flight operations, according to a statement by the ministry of civil aviation (MoCA).
Under the regional connectivity scheme UDAN, financial incentives from the Centre, state governments and airport operators are extended to select airlines to encourage operations from unserved and underserved airports, and keep airfares affordable.
Purnia has an Indian Air Force base, whose airport’s runway length (11,000 X 150 feet) is approximately same as in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Mangalore, but the Airport Authority of India (AAI) has asked for an additional 50 acres of land for a civil enclave, approach road and modernization of the airport, officials said.
The land acquisition is already in progress and the government has already released over ₹20 crore towards compensation, district officials said.
“Some landowners, while objecting to the land acquisition, filed a case at Patna high court creating a hurdle,” a senior district official, unwilling to ben named, said.
The Indian Air Force station in Purnia, spread over 700 acres, was established in 1963, a year after the Indo-China war.
In his letter to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, the Union minister also underscored the land requirement of 49.5 acres at the Patna airport for runway extension and other works, 121 acres at Raxaul to develop the airport for ATR72 type of aircraft, 475 acres at Muzaffarpur airport to develop it for operation of A320 type of aircraft, 78 acres at Darbhanga for development of new civil enclave along with a new light system.
He also requested Kumar to consider the provision of 100 per cent viability gap funding support for commencing international UDAN flights from Patna and Gaya (Gaya-Bangkok, Gaya-Kathmandu, Gaya-Yangon, Patna-Kathmandu and Patna-Dubai).
“On receipt of the consent of the state government for 100 per cent viability gap funding support, routes will be put for bidding (under the UDAN scheme) for the airlines,” the MoCA mentioned.
Contacted for his response, Sanjay Kumar, Bihar’s additional chief secretary (cabinet secretariat) said, “We haven’t received the letter as yet.”
Headline: Delhi’s demand
Intro: Besides land, civil aviation ministry has demanded money into Regional Air Connectivity Fund Trust and viability gap funding support for international UDAN flight operations
Airport: Land requirement
Purnia: 50 acres for civil enclave at Indian Air Force base
Patna: 49.5 acres for runway extension, other amenities
Raxaul: 121 acres to develop the airport for ATR72 type of aircraft
Darbhanga: 78 acres for new civil enclave, new light system
Muzaffarpur: 475 acres develop the airport for operation of A320 aircraft
