Bokaro airport is witnessing several activities for expanding its capacity under the Government of India’s flagship scheme UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik).
The Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower has been recently installed and now it is technically ready, said an official adding, “But a lot of works including airstrip and infrastructure development is yet to start.” With the investment of Rs 8 crore this ATC tower has been installed by AAI. The advantage of this tower is that it is a mobile tower, can be moved at any locations while its height is also adjustable according to the requirements, said the official.
The other developmental and infrastructure development work is hindered only due to the apathetic attitude of Forest Department officials, said an official on anonymity.
At least 6000 trees will be axed while over 1000 tree would be transplanted for the expansion and development of the Bokaro airport. About 1000 trees which girth (radios) is less than 7 inches would be transplanted at some other place and it does not need any kind of permission (for the transplantation), said a forest official.
Despite getting the nod to fell the trees, district forest officials yet to decide where to keep the felled trees and the work is hindered since past120 days, he said.
The cutting of the trees has been done in two-phase, in the first phase, 4000 trees would be axed, informed an official. But the district administration and Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL) authority other related departments will have to plant five trees for every tree would be felled, an official said.
“The AAI has allotted works to the Jai Mata Di Construction, East India Construction Company and Creative Construction. Without cutting the trees civil work for the airport could not be started we are waiting for that,” said an official of JMD.
Bokaro Airport covering a land area of 195 acres, belongs to SAIL, Bokaro Steel Plant, an MoU has been signed between Airports Authority of India (AAI) and SAIL to develop for Code – 3C under RCS-UDAN – II with is at an estimated cost of Rs 52.57 crores.
The state government will pay 20 per cent of the total expenditure. The development work includes resurfacing and strengthening of existing runways of length 1673 meters and width 30 meters, apron, taxi track including grading of the operational area along with the provision of expendable low-cost Terminal building, Control Tower, ESS building, Watch Tower and installation of PAPI and other miscellaneous civil and electrical works.
After getting the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) nod services of 72- seater passenger aircraft can only be started form Bokaro airstrip now with Patna, Kolkata and Delhi, said an official.
