With plans are afoot to begin flight operations from Rourkela Airstrip in a few months’ time under the UDAN programme, the State Government has asked the Steel Authority India ltd (SAIl) Authorities to provide security and fire safety measures at the earliest.
Chief Secretary AP Padhi has written to SAIl Chairman PK Singh urging him to allow the present infrastructure to be utilised for flight operations under the regional connectivity scheme (RCS), UDAN, initiated by the Centre.
Notably, the Civil Aviation Ministry has considered four airstrips in Odisha, including Rourkela’s, under the RCS-UDAN, the State Government has consented to reduce taxes on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF).
The Union and State Governments would bear the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) to be made to some selected airlines for providing cheap air connectivity to people of Rourkela.
Process of flight operations would begin from September or October this year, informed Padhi. The Rourkela Airstrip, which is under direct control of the SAIl, is being utilized for the security and fire safety system for the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) now. Hence, the SAIl has been urged to extend the same services for smooth operations of RCS-UDAN flights for air connectivity to the steel city, said Padhi.
In another communiqué, Padhi has urged Airports Authority of India limited (AAIl) Guru Prasad Mohapatra to create all facilituies for starting flights from Jhasuguda under the UDAN programme as per the MoU signed in July 2014 for making Jharsuguda Airport as a full-fledged airport.
Now, the Civil Aviation Ministry has also included the Jharsuguda Airport under RCS-UDAN under an MoU signed between AAIl, MoCA and the State Government on March 1, 2017.