With forest and environmental clearance being graned to operations from Pithoragarh airport, all arrangements have been made for provision of equipment and human resource. With this development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi could inaugurate the Dehradun-Pithoragarh air service on October 7. Regarding this, the State Chief Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh held a meeting with officials of Airports Authority of India and Directorate General of Civil Aviation at the secretariat to review all arrangements on Wednesday.
Officials stated that initially a nine-seater aircraft will be used for the service. Later, a 20-seater aircraft will be used. The appointments of airport manager, flight security officer and operation manager have been finalised while training of 75 security personnel has been completed. The Chief Secretary also reviewed plans for expansion of the Pithoragarh airport into a greenfield airport. Additional chief secretary Om Prakash, Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority director R Rajesh Kumar and other officials were also present in the meeting.