The Airports Authority of India (AAI), which is vying for the ‘International Airport' tag, has commenced the process of taking up the runway extension project at Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur.
The current runway length is 2286 meters and would be extended by another 965 meters, Swami Vivekananda Airport Director Santosh Dhoke told The Pioneer.
Detailed estimate for taking up the extension work is under preparation for tender action, he said, adding, the entire tendering process would take place during the next two to three months and it would take another one or two months to award the work for execution of the project.
Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh is set to gain immensely from Centre’s recent proposed formulation of Regional Connectivity Scheme (“RCS ”) to promote regional air connectivity in Indian airports by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and AAI.
Notably, the Chhattisgarh Government had been trying hard to get air connectivity for all its key cities, besides getting international flights operated from Raipur at the earliest.
The Centre in its bid to develop 50 airports in the country, has already included the industrial cities of Bilaspur and Raigarh in its plans for expanding aviation services in Chhattisgarh, officials stated.
It has been decided to formulate RCS to promote Regional Air Connectivity in Indian airports by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and AAI, officials stated. The AAI will soon appoint a Consultant for the formulation of RCS scheme for Indian airports.
It is envisaged that the RCS shall take into account the existing state of air connectivity and other relevant factors so that regional connection is ensured/enhanced by the concerned stakeholders in the Civil Aviation Sector in pursuance of draft National Civil Aviation Policy 2015.
The RCS Formulation must detail the objectives and applicability of the Regional Connectivity Scheme in terms of: Nature of connectivity to be promoted, characteristics of routes, basis of classification of the broad range of possible routes, defining the policy objective of promoting connectivity for each of such broad, categories of possible routes (economic development, social cohesion, etc.
Notably, Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur bagged the National Tourism Awards 2013-14 in the Airports category recently.
The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee presented the National Tourism Awards 2013-14 to the Swami Vivekanand Airport, Raipur at a function held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on September 18 this year.