Army takes over Bilaspur airport?

In a significant move, the defence ministry has asked the civil aviation ministry to lease out Bilaspur airport in Chhattisgarh to the army for 30 years.

In a significant move, the defence ministry has asked the civil aviation ministry to lease out Bilaspur airport in Chhattisgarh to the army for 30 years.

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The request to hand over the strategically-located airport, in a state which is a hotbed of Maoist insurgency, comes at a time when there is much debate over whether the army should be inducted into anti-Maoist operations.

In its letter, the defence ministry has said the army wants Bilaspur airport merely for "training" purposes.

Leasing out the airport would not be a problem, sources said, as it was not being used for any commercial operations.