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Pre-feasibility report for Uttarakhand’s greenfield airport submitted, CM underlines its strategic role
Chief minister Rawat said the airport was crucial for three reasons-- tourism promotion, disaster management and strategic interests.
The Union secretary for civil aviation and chairman of airports authority of India (AII) on Saturday submitted the pre-feasibility report for the greenfield airport to be built in Pantnagar area of US Nagar district in the state, said officials.
The report was submitted by Union secretary for civil aviation Pradeep Kharola and chairman of AAI Arvind Singh during a meeting with chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat in Dehradun on Saturday. They submitted the report after inspecting the land earmarked for the project along with state chief secretary Utpal Kumar Singh earlier on Saturday, said officials.
According to a press release issued by the CM office on the development, both the Central officials informed Rawat that the land earmarked for the airport is a ‘suitable one.’
In US Nagar, 1,100 acres of land has been earmarked for setting up of a greenfield airport, built completely from scratch. The airport would be built with prospects of getting upgraded to an international one in future.
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Stressing on the importance of the soon-to-be-built airport and development of aviation infrastructure, CM Rawat said, “It is very important to strengthen the air infrastructure in Uttarakhand from tourism, disaster and strategic point of view. For this, the ministry of civil aviation and the AAI, have been supported by the state government in every way.”
He also said that, “A lot of work has been done in the field of civil aviation in the state in the last three years with a large number of air services being introduced with the cooperation of the ministry of civil aviation.”
Later, CM directed the state officials concerned to complete the necessary procedures for the greenfield airport at the earliest.
Pantnagar airport currently has about 267 acres of land with a 530 sqm of passenger terminal. The current handling capacity of the airport is 50 passengers in peak hours. With the creation of the greenfield airport, the capacity will increase considerably.
