New Delhi: Citing lack of infrastructure upgradation behind the delay in flight operations at Jeypore, Rourkela and Utkela airports, Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Wednesday, said that the state government needs to upgrade the airport infrastructure of these places.
While replying to a question asked by Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Amar Patnaik in the Rajya Sabha, the Union Minister said the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will do the licensing of these airports after the upgradation.
“Jeypore and Utkela are essentially awaiting upgradation of the airport infrastructure by the state government. The Airports Authority of India has been in touch with the state government. As soon as the airport infrastructure is upgraded in the case of Jeypore, the licensing by DGCA will be done. As for the airport in Utkela is concerned, again, I hope that they can do it quickly,” said Puri.
Earlier, Amar Patnaik had asked the minister the present status of implementation of the RCS-UDAN routes connecting Jeypore, Utkela, Rourkela and Jharsuguda airports in the state.
Patnaik also said that Rourkela-Bhubaneswar sector has not been operationalised now by the selected airline operator due to non-readiness of the Rourkela airport.
“When is the airport going to be readied?” asked Patnaik
The Union minister said that the routes from Rourkela to Bhubaneswar and Rourkela to Raipur were awarded to selected airline operators. However, operations could not be commenced due to non-readiness of Rourkela Airport for the aircraft (ATR – 72) mentioned in the bid by the SAO.
“For the ATR-72 airport, the state has to complete the observation and upgrade the airport. So, it is a question of additional airstrip for the 72 seater aircraft which, again, is a work in progress,” Puri said.