Department of Civil Aviation has recognised five districts of Jharkhand wherein regional connectivity would begin operating in a year. Confirming the information, Union Civil Aviation Secretary KN Srivastava informed that Dhanbad, Hazaribagh, Deoghar, Bokaro and Jamshedpur have been identified as the regional airports where land for a runway of 6,000 feets is being searched by the concerned department.
“A formal memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be signed between Ministry of Civil Aviation and State Government in these districts in the coming two months except Deoghar as it is already signed,” said the Ministry Secretary. Srivastava on Monday held a meeting with the State Chief Secretary RS Sharma, Chief Minister Hemant Soren and State Civil Aviation Principal Secretary Sajal Chakraverty on this matter and on expanding the Ranchi airport for international operations. The decision mainly focused on land hurdles dealt by airport authorities.
Civil Aviation Ministry in a bid to spread airport infrastructure of India is running a programme to connect all the small cities by air. State Civil Aviation officials informed that, an aircraft comprising nine seats will be used for this inter-State air communication. Government of India in partnership with Airport Authority of India (AAI) is working on this project. The Ministry has decided to handover the inter-State taxi service to corporate companies if AAI fails to manage the service.
Describing the scope of State capital’s airport for international status, Srivastava said, “The runway length of an airport must be between 10,000 to 12,000 feets. But, the runway here is 9,000 feets of which 1000 feet is encroached by State Government and Army aviation making the utilisation of only 8000 feets.” Ministry of Civil Aviation is planning to make Ranchi Airport as international air base within a span of one year.
“The Army has come forward for exchange of land. State Government is going to provide additional land. We hope to swap land within two months after which survey of land will be done on increasing the length,” he added. According to Srivastava, the Army has been asked to settle land for AAI’s control tower and car parking areas at Ranchi airport. On starting the bus service for passengers towards their particular flights he said, “All the airplanes will be switching to low floor buses.”
The Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FJCCI) and local Travel agents gave Srivastava written requests including the basic necessities like air service to foreign countries like Sri lanka, Hongkong, Singapore, Bangkok, China and Dubai followed by noted towns of India for commercial and tourism purpose. They also requested for an air ambulance and provide one more state hanger. At present there are four state hangers.
FJCC president Ranjeet Tibrewal said, “Unscheduled flights should also have the facility for night parking at Ranchi airport. Gumla and Gaya must also be connected via aerial mode as Bodhgaya, the Buddhist hub is visted by several foreigners and Indians every year.” Srivastava assured to fulfill all the demands. Srivastava informed that AAI is going through loss due to the increasing air fare. “The customers of air travel have decreased across the nation. We have reduced the air traffic fuel tax but increasing the air fare had lead to our loss.”
In the present scenario, India stands in the ninth rank of World Civil Aviation. Srivastava forecasted India to become the third largest marketing civil aviation zone in the next 10 to 15 years. Adding cheers for air passengers, the Secretary said that private air company Indigo would begin air service from Ranchi to Patna and Ranchi to New Delhi from August 18. Mumbai has also shown interest here. Jet airways will also begin air services from Ranchi from October onwards.