12 hours ago
Flight path obstacles at Gadchiroli airport site prompts state to look for alternative
Nagpur: Too many obstacles in the flight path and prospects of further vertical growth in Gadchiroli city, given the development push, has prompted the state govt to look for an alternative site for its plan to build an airport in the Maoist-affected district.
The Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) had planned the airport close to Gadchiroli city. The initial site covered four villages: Murkhada, Pulkhal, Kanori and Mudhja. MADC was appointed as the agency to acquire 229 acres of land for the project after the initial study was completed.
The study revealed that there were a number of obstacles in the flight path, including building of an educational institute, a high-tension line, and a power plant chimney.
If a flight path avoiding the obstacles was fixed at the same site, it would have increased the project cost by at least Rs150 crore, said sources. Rather, it is now decided to look for an alternative site. The city is expected to grow in the coming days, and the structures that come up may further obstruct the operations, said a source who is part of the project.
A senior official in the district administration confirmed the development.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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MADC has intimated that a fresh site needs to be searched for the proposed airport. Now, a site slightly away from the city is being considered. Last week, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis issued directions to hold an obstacle limitation survey (OLS) for the airport. A source said this was meant for the fresh site. It would follow a pre-feasibility study of the airport at the new site.
An airport has been proposed at Gadchiroli in view of the development in the district.
Recently, Jindal Group announced plans to build the country's biggest integrated steel plant in the district. Lloyds Metals and Energy Limited (LMEL), which operates an iron ore mine, also commissioned a 4 million tonnes pellet-making plant. This is part of LMEL's plans to build an integrated steel plant too. The third company, Surjagad Ispat, also plans to build a steel plant in south Gadchiroli.
As per the airport plan, a 2,500-meter airstrip will be laid so that commercial planes can land in Gadchiroli.
Having an airport will do away with the need for investors or businessmen to travel to Nagpur and take a road journey further to Gadchiroli, a source said.
The four villages where the airport was earlier planned come under the Panchayats (Extension To Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA). The law gives autonomy to gram sabhas (village councils) on decisions related to the area. This means gram sabha approval would have been needed even for the airport.
