The Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur is one of the 'Commissioned Common User Domestic Air Cargo Terminals' (CUDCT) among several others in the country promoting global air cargo movement, officials informed.
Notably, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has drawn up ambitious plans for creating infrastructure for an international level business and leisure destination on the city side of Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur.
The project aims to provide a world-class environment, in which people can work, play and stay while catering to the surge in traffic of corporate travellers and tourists, officials informed.
The entire land 80 acres of land earmarked for developing various types of infrastructure may be provided to multiple entities / developers for modular development on 30 year lease or to a single entity under PPP concessional framework for development of the city-side for 30 year lease, they informed.
The AAI believes that development of the city side of the airport would make the region an ‘economic hub’ with exceptional connectivity, officials informed.
The city side development of the airport also envisages setting up of hotels and convention centers with an ‘Airport Commercial District’ which would also include ‘Airport Business District’, and a host of world-class passenger convenience amenities among others.
There had been 16.3% jump in the cargo traffic from 1,600 tonnes to approx. 4,000 tonnes in 2014-15 from Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur, officials informed.
Notably, the total exports from Chhattisgarh's already operational SEZ during 2014-15 stood at Rs 3.19 crore and Rs 1.84 crore in 2013-14.
Export Promotion Council for EoUs and SEZs (EPCES) has been undertakingseveral activities for enhancing exports as well as resolving issues concerning EoUs and SEZs.
The Central Government, on the basis of inputs/suggestions received from stakeholders on the policy and operational framework of the SEZ Scheme, periodically reviews the policy and operational framework of SEZs and takes necessary measures so as to facilitate speedy and effective implementation of SEZ policy, officials informed.
Notably, on the other hand, two more new Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are currently being developed in Chhattisgarh for providing a major boost to exports and industrial development in the State.
A Solar SEZ is being set up in Rajnandgaon which is being developed by lanco Solar Private ltd which is spread over 250 acres of the land.
The SEZ will cater to the solar equipment manufacturing industry. A 100 MWpA Polysilicon and wafer manufacturing facility by lanco Solar Private ltd. is already operational in the SEZ, officials informed.
The other key SEZ coming up is the IT/ ITeS SEZ in Naya Raipur for which a multi sector complex is being developed by Naya Raipur Development Authority (NRDA).
The SEZ would comprise state-of-the-art facility for manufacturers and service providers with focus on IT/ITeS and Electronics.
The exports from Food and Agro, IT/ITeS, Automobiles and Auto ancillaries manufacturing, leather, Footwear and Sports goods Sector, Electronic and Hardware and Software services and Textiles sector SEZs during the last five years .
Notably, Chhattisgarh’s new hi-tech capital — Naya Raipur would also have an ‘Integrated Freight Complex’ spread in an area of 130.67 hectares, officials stated.
Early this year, Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had also put forward a proposal that a ‘Cargo Hub’ should be developed in Naya Raipur .
He had stated that his Ministry will bear the entire development cost if the Chhattisgarh Government agrees to provide land for the proposed hub.
To this, Chief Minister Raman Singh who had met the Union Railway Minister in New Delhi and had assured the latter that his government will provide land for the project.
The Chhattisgarh government is already in the process of upgrading infrastructural facility to further accelerate Export-Import ( EXIM) activity from its Inland Container Depot (ICD) located at Kapa in old Raipur.
The project cost of the proposed works within the ICD campus is Rs 3.10 crore, officials stated.
The project had been undertaken under ‘Developing Export Infrastructure & Allied Activities’ (ASIDE) scheme of the Central government .
Notably, Central public sector undertaking Container Corporation of India (CCI) is in the process of developing a 'logistics Hub' on over 100 acres of land in Naya Raipur, officials, stated.
AAI has also commenced the process for developing small airports in Chhattisgarh under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS).
It is now looking for a Consultant for having talks with Chhattisgarh Government on land related matters pertaining to Airports and Aeronautical Communication Stations (ACSs) in the existing and upcoming airports to be developed by the civil aviation body in Chhattisgarh, official sources informed.
Notably, Chhattisgarh has signed MoU with the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation for promoting Centre’s Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) in the State, officials informed.
Notably the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation is in the process of signing of MoU with State Governments to ensure their commitment and support to regional air transport operations by providing concessions as required under the RCS for making it successful.
The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation had earlier released the draft Regional Air Connectivity Scheme (RCS) for stakeholder consultation, with the twin objectives of promoting balanced regional growth and making flying affordable for masses.
The RCS is the key component of the National Civil Aviation Policy which was released by the Ministry on June 15, 2016. The scheme, which would be in operation for a period of 10 years, envisages providing connectivity to un-served and under-served airports of the country through revival of existing air-strips and airports.
This would be achieved through a financial stimulus in the form of Central and State government concessions, as well as Viability Gap Funding to the interested airlines to kick-off operations from such airports, so that the passenger fares are kept affordable.
The fare for a one hour journey of appx. 500 km on a fixed wing aircraft or for a 30 minute journey on a helicopter would now be capped at Rs 2,500, with proportionate pricing for routes of different lengths / duration.
To reduce the cost of operations, the Central Government would be providing concessions in the form of reduced Excise on VAT, service tax and flexibility of code sharing at the RCS airports.
Similarly, the State governments would have to lower the VAT on ATF to 1% or less, besides security and fire services free of cost and electricity, water and other utilities at substantially concessional rates. Similarly, landing and Parking charge and Terminal Navigation landing Charges shall not be imposed by the airport operator.
A Regional Connectivity Fund would be created to fund the VGF requirements under the scheme. The same would be funded through a levy on certain domestic flights.
The partner State Governments would also contribute a 20% share to this fund (10% for North Eastern States). For balanced regional growth, the allocations under the scheme would be equitably spread across the 5 geographical regions of the country viz North, West, South, East and North-east.
The States have been given a key role under the scheme. The selection of airports where RCS operations would be done in consultation with State Government and after confirmation of their concessions. This will be based on the selection of routes by the airline operators.
Notably, Chief Minister Raman Singh on January 26 this year had performed bhoomi pujan for construction of terminal building and for taking up expansion works for Jagdalpur airport in Bastar.
The Chief Minister while addressing gathering said that with the construction of terminal building, flights would be started soon which will surely benefit the people of Bastar division.
The State Government has inked Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Air India for launching flights whereas the monetary loss to the airline if any would be borne by the State government as per the MoU, Singh further said.
However, he expressed hope that there would be no loss for providing air services as most of the people want to travel by air from Jagdalpur.
