Plan to upgrade 35 non-metro airports: Patel

Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Praful Patel on Friday said that the Centre had decided to upgrade 35 non- metropolitan airports in the country including Varanasi airport to accelerate the pace of air traffic. ?The government is fully concerned about promotion of air traffic and its progress,? he told reporters here. In all, 35 airports have been identified by the ministry of civil aviation. In the first phase of upgradation, 15 airports, including Varanasi, would be developed,? he said.

Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Praful Patel on Friday said that the Centre had decided to upgrade 35 non- metropolitan airports in the country including Varanasi airport to accelerate the pace of air traffic.

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“The government is fully concerned about promotion of air traffic and its progress,” he told reporters here.

In all, 35 airports have been identified by the ministry of civil aviation. In the first phase of upgradation, 15 airports, including Varanasi, would be developed,” he said.

He said the facilities like extension of terminal building, navigation, instrumentation length of runway would be developed on these airports followed by an increase in flights.

The government has also a plan to connect major religious and tourism cities like Varanasi, Jaipur Udaipur, Gaya and Amritsar with the international chartered flights.

Commenting over the air traffic scenario, the minister said, there was an open policy of civil aviation throughout the country, government can not decide the air fare but due to competition, air journey has become afordable for the common people.

Focusing upon the future plan of his ministry, he informed that Indira Gandhi National Flying Academy at Fursatganj in UP would be developed at a cost of Rs 200 crores. This project would be completed by June 2007.

He added, the government has also decided to construct new airports in Goa, Pune, one in Punjab, Navi Mumbai, Kangoor in Kerala and one each in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. Besides, the government would also set up a national cargo at Nagpur with joint collaboration of Union Government and Maharashtra government. The tenders will be invited next month for this project.

Besides, the government would also include, 111 new aeroplanes in Indian Air Lines and Air India fleet with the cost of Rs 42,000 crore to meet the competition.