Air Connectivity will soon become a reality in Bokaro. Under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) ‘Flight services’ (commercial) from Bokaro are scheduled to be started by 10 October this year.

Air strip is ready and formal load testing of the strip has been done (by landing of SAIL's aeroplane), informed an official. Air routes have been allotted (to Spice Jet), the City to be connected from Kolkata and Patna, informed an official of Bokaro Airport.

Recently, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced that there are 706 air routes under RCS scheme to connect small cities. Besides Bokaro-Kolkata and Bokaro-Patna three other air routes has been allotted in Jharkhand includes Jamshedpur-Kolkata, Dukmka-Kolkata and Dumka-Ranchi.

Aiming to increase activities in small towns, boost industries and create jobs for the people the Central Government launched the Regional Air Connectivity Scheme, under this scheme Ranchi, Bokaro, Jamshedpur, Palamu, Dumka, Daltonganj and other cities to be air-linked.

Construction work of airstrip, terminal building, ATC tower, taxi track, ring road including others are in full swing at Deoghar. For expansion of Dhalbhumghar airport an MoU has been signed between AAI and State government, sources said.

Meanwhile, Bokaro airport is brimming with activity for expanding its capacity under UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme; the construction work of the runway has been completed now, other works are being carried out in full swing, said R Singh of JMD construction.

Notably, AAI has allotted works to the Jai Mata Di Construction, East India Construction Company and Creative Construction.

Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower was installed and now Bokaro airport is technically ready, said the official.  With the investment of Rs 8 crore, this ATC tower has been installed by AAI; It can be moved at any locations while its heights are also adjustable according to the requirements are the advantage of this tower, he said.

"Several basic facilities like ticket counters, the appointment of CISF cops, installation of beg X-ray machine, transit parking including others are yet to be equipped," he added.  

Though, unauthorised slums adjacent to the Bokaro airport has put a halt on the full expansion work of the airport. On the directive of district administration the Estate Court Bokaro executed on eviction order for the people resident in the slum surrounding the airport.

The court has given an ultimatum to the encroachers to leave the spot immediately and anyhow by 17 July but encroachers are still residing there.

The eviction order also stated that, in view of the expansion and development of Bokaro Airport, the district administration will launch a special anti-encroachment drive from 22 July and administration will recover the demolition expanse from the encroachers.

But till 29 July administration yet to conduct drive and the encroachers are eyeing on the administration move before to evacuated the site.