The Raigarh Airport after its Phase-II expansion would be able to handle 275 to 350 passengers in a day while facilitating the operation of Airbus A- 320 class of aircraft both by day and night, officials stated.
The airport is already recommended for development at Class-3C operation airport in first phase, permitting landing of aircrafts carrying up to 75 passengers.
This, subsequently, can be developed in to an airport permitting landing of aircraft carrying up to 200 passengers (Class-4C), they stated.
Notably, the Centre in its bid to develop 50 airports in the country has already included the industrial cities of Bilaspur and Raigarh in its plans for expanding aviation services in Chhattisgarh, officials stated.
The Chhattisgarh Government is keen on expansion of the Korba Airport in this industrial city to enable generation of sizeable passenger traffic from the airport.
The airport needs extension for licensing for Class-2C operations in visual flight regime only (due to obstruction around airport area, officials stated.
Notably, Chhattisgarh is set to gain immensely from Centre’s recent proposed formulation of Regional Connectivity Scheme (“RCS ”) to promote regional air connectivity in Indian airports by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airports Authority of India (AAI).
Notably, the Chhattisgarh government had been trying hard to get air connectivity for all its key cities besides getting international flights operated from Raipur at the earliest.
The Centre in its bid to develop 50 airports in the country has already included the industrial cities of Bilaspur and Raigarh in its plans for expanding aviation services in Chhattisgarh, officials stated.
It has been decided to formulate Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) to promote Regional Air Connectivity in Indian airports by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airports Authority of India, officials stated.
The officials of Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Chhattisgarh Government’s Bastar district officials had jointly visited the Jagdalpur Airport to discuss plans for developing the crucial airport in the insurgency infested district recently.
A team of AAI inspected the airport and expressed the possibility of developing the Terminal building, Air Traffic Control Tower and hangar, officials stated.
Officials stated that the infrastructural set up would also pave way for the functioning of two-seater air-taxi service soon.
Moreover, the technical guidance for building the necessary infrastructure was felt by the officers.
Notably, the AAI is also mulling over plans to begin three-seater air taxi services from Jagdalpur in the near future.
The Raigarh Airport may see significant passenger traffic from the existing and other large industrial units and power plants coming up in the region after its expansion.
NTPC ltd’s Super Thermal Power Project (STPP) is coming up at lara in Raigarh district . The project is most likely to go on stream by March 2017 .
Significantly, NTPC the largest power utility of the country recorded highest single day generation of 733.12 MUs, the highest so far in this Financial Year from its 18 coal based, 7 gas based, 8 solar and Hydro power stations on August 27, 2015. The Declared Cumulative Capability of the stations was 91.10 per cent and Plant load factor ( PlF) of 86.34 per cent on the day.
During financial year 2014-15, NTPC Group contributed 25 per cent of total electricity generated in India with 16 per cent share of Country’s total installed capacity as on 31.03.2015.
NTPC recorded Gross generation of 241.261 BUs (stand-alone) in FY 2014-15 registering a growth of 3.42 per cent. Plant load Factor (PlF) of NTPC’s coal stations was 80.23 per cent against national average of 64.46 per cent. Two stations recorded more than 90 per centPlF.
All NTPC stations achieved Plant Availability of or above 83 per cent. Four coal stations of NTPC featured among the top 10 stations of the Country in terms of PlF in FY 2014-15.
