Rourkela: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has agreed to provide technical support for installation of approach control services (ACS) at Rourkela, Jeypore, and Utkela airports in Sundargarh, Koraput, and Kalahandi districts respectively. The matter came to the fore after a letter from AAI Chairman Sanjeev Kumar reached the airport authorities here recently.
The letter mentions that AAI has executed the communication, navigation, surveillance (CNS), and air traffic management (ATM) infrastructure agreement for Rourkela airport with owner Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) and a similar amendment needs to be carried out in that agreement. The state government is also taking all measures to fulfil some of the technical requirements of Rourkela airport as well as other airports in the state. This development confirms that efforts for the installation of the instrument landing system (ILS) at Rourkela and other airports are moving in right direction.
Expressing happiness over the development, former secretary of SEFI and president of Sachetan Nagarika Mancha (SNM) Bimal Bisi said that he is aware of the development. “Our organisation is regularly working on this issue and now I am sure all impediments for the ILS and other facilities will be cleared in time.” He also informed that the state government is working to hand over the land of Rourkela airport to the Central government so that it will finally go to AAI. “Once this process is over, AAI will begin its work,” he added. Few days back, former minister and BJP state president Manmohan Samal, during his visit to the city, had said the same thing. He had said, “AAI cannot undertake the installation of ILS unless it has the ownership of the land. The sooner the state government does that, the better it will be for all.” Meanwhile, the Odisha government has given the survey work of the airport to RITES, informed Bisi.
Former Union Minister Dilip Ray had also written to the Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia to hasten the process of installation of the ILS and the very high-frequency omni-directional range station (VOR) at Rourkela airport and elevating its status from 2-C to 3-C. Ray has argued that in the absence of the ILS and VOR it becomes difficult for the planes to land on the runway of the airport thus leading to cancellations. Frequent cancellations affect the passenger’s confidence. Earlier, the chairman of AAI in a letter No 151/2023 had granted the CTR status to Rourkela airport effective from November 2, 2023. Authorities had applied for this status September 21.