Sukhu writes to Union minister Naidu, seeks central aid for expansion of Kangra airport
The letter follows CM Sukhu's recent meeting with the Union minister on July 14 in New Delhi. For the proposed expansion of the Kangra airport at Gaggal in Himachal's Kangra district, the cost of the land acquisition is pegged at approximately ₹3,500 crore. The state government has acquired around 150 hectares for the expansion project.
As the land acquisition process has already started, awards for more than ₹1,900 crore are ready and ₹410 crore have been disbursed so far. 'The statutory stipulated period of one year is going to end in August, 2025. The Ministry of Civil Aviation may kindly recommend this project to the Ministry of Finance and the PMO for the Special Central Assistance as agreed during the meeting,' states CM Sukhu's letter to the aviation minister.
The expansion project, which is underway, aims to increase the runway length of Kangra airport from the current 1,376 metres to 3,010 metres. This extension is crucial for accommodating larger aircraft, such as the Airbus A320, which would enhance connectivity between the Kangra valley and other parts of the country.
Currently, only eight flights (16 movements) operate at Kangra Airport each day, connecting to Shimla, Delhi, and Chandigarh. With the proposed expansion, the airport could accommodate more flights, connect to additional destinations, and even open up the possibility of initiating international services.
Sukhu also wrote that the Techno-Economic Feasibility Report of Kangra Airport prepared by M/s WAPCOS Ltd. should also be reviewed for arriving at a realistic assessment of cost by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) as it was on a higher side.
'Kangra Airport currently operates under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), requiring a minimum visibility of 5 km for flight operations, it was agreed that AAI will make provision for introduction of Special VFR operations so as to reduce the minimum visibility criteria from existing 5 km to 2.5 km to ensure operation of flights during reduced visibility conditions,' the letter states.
During the meeting on July 14, Sukhu has also urged the Union minister to operate Delhi-Shimla-Dharamshala and Dharamshala-Shimla-Delhi flights on a daily basis, highlighting that at present, these flights were operational only three days a week, causing inconvenience to the tourists. He also requested the commencement of night landing facilities at Kangra airport.
Sukhu has also asked for deployment of Himachal Pradesh State Police instead of CISF for airport security at Kullu and Shimla airports on the analogy of Kangra airport. He also urged for extending watch hours for the flight's operations at Shimla airport from 1 pm to 4 pm providing a larger window for the operation of flights.
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