David James
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India building 6 airports in Arunachal Pradesh
ITANAGAR: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has prepared a draft master plan for the Greenfield Airport at Holongi near Itanagar, Union civil aviation minister Ajit Singh said.
The master plan was prepared following the acceptance of the site for the construction of the airport by the state government in view of its technical suitability and operational safety, Singh said during a meeting with Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Nabam Tuki in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Singh said the terrain of the new Holongi site permits operations on runway from both directions as compared to the Banderdewa site, which permits unidirectional operation. In this regard, AAI has forwarded the requirement of 320 hectare of land to the state government.
During the meeting, Singh and Tuki also discussed the status of the development of airports in Itanagar, Aalo, Daporijo, Pasighat, Tezu and Ziro in the state, sources said here on Thursday.
Regarding the development of a civil enclave at the aerodrome in Aalo, Tuki was informed that the AAI had sent a report to the state government in July last for the removal of obstacles around the aerodrome for safe flight operations.
The AAI has submitted the master plan to the state government and Indian Air Force (IAF) as the IAF has been mandated the development of the aerodrome, sources informed. Singh brought to the notice of the chief minister that the state government has to act urgently on acquiring the seven acres of land required for the development of the civil enclave.
Singh further informed that the AAI has finalized the master plan for Daporijo Airfield. The airfield has to be developed for ATR-42 (50-seater) type of aircraft operation. As per the master plan, an additional land of 34.2 acres has been requested from the state government by December 2010. An exercise to identify the obstacles that need to be removed from around the airfield was conducted, the report for which was sent to the state government in July last year.
The development of the Pasighat Aerodrome will be handed over to the IAF for development for both civil flights and defence use, Singh said, adding the formal lease agreement was yet to be signed. He said the quantum of available land that needed to be shared between IAF and AAI was being discussed and the revised master plan was sent to the IAF for finalization of lease agreement, sources said.
The status of work of Tezu Aerodrome was also discussed in the meeting. Singh informed that the work for upgrading and developing ATR-72 type of operation was in progress and AAI was working at extending and strengthening the runway, the sources added. Greenfield Airport draft masterplan ready: Minister - The Times of India