The Airports Authority of India (AAI) will soon take up work for expansion of apron at the Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur to enable parking of more aircraft, official sources informed.
AAI is already in the process of expanding airport infrastructure on the air side considering rise in air traffic at the Swami Vivekananda Airport.
Notably, with a view to improving quality of service and amenities for passengers, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is planning to develop land parcels of approximately 80 acres around the new integrated terminal of Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur.
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 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.
The Union Civil Aviation Ministry is also mulling over plans to introduce Air India flights between Ranchi and Raipur soon, official sources informed.
Notably, the national carrier has already launched flights on Bhopal-Raipur-Pune sector.
Notably, the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Air India, Ashwani lohani had called on Chief Minister Raman Singh here on April 30 this year.
In a discussion held with lohani, Chief Minister Raman Singh had informed him that the State is developing fast and many national-level institutions are operating in Raipur.
“The State has witnessed quantum growth in industrial activity which had resulted in phenomenal rise in the number of air travellers”, he had informed.
The Chief Minister also assured that if Air India wants to develop a ‘principal hub’ for its small aircraft fleet traffic in Raipur, then the Chhattisgarh government will extend all possible help.
Chhattisgarh is among the six states including Puducherry now which have so far signed MoU with the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation for promoting Centre’s Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), 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.
Puducherry is the sixth State with which such an MoU is signed on Saturday. The other states are Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh.
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, 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.
On the other hand, the Naya Raipur Development Authority (NRDA) will design and develop an ‘integrated zone’ near the Swami Vivekananda Airport, Raipur.
NRDA’s Airport zone is spread over an area of 1192.56 hectares and the proposed land use will be mainly for transportation purposes, officials stated.
Notably, Naya Raipur city had been divided into six zones for which zoning plans are being prepared under Naya Raipur land Use Plan-2031.
The NRDA Planning Area consists of three layers mainly- Planning layer-I consisting of Naya Raipur city including the green belt area in 9522 hectares, the Planning layer-II consists of Peripheral Rural Zone in an area of 13,028 hectares and Planning layer-III consists of the Airport Zone spread in 1192.56 hectares.