Newstrack

Northern states show good airport potential

Anupama Sushil - New Delhi

The number of airstrips and helipads that the country has at present will help judge the growth that the individual states will see in future. The northern region of the country collectively boasts of the maximum number of airstrips in the country. Even as the region remains the most visited in the country, there is still an urgent need for better connectivity. Looking at such potential opportunities, the state governments have started to put their foot forward in getting the aviation infrastructure in place. The first will be the state of Jammu and Kashmir, which will soon have an international airport and a new domestic terminal being commissioned, as well as several airstrips that could be used to get to far-flung areas of the Himalayan state.

The state of Uttarakhand, has about the highest number of airstrips and 64 helipads. "While the Dehradun airport has been extended up to 1,000 feet to allow for landing space for an A320 aircraft, the state's numerous airstrips are ready and awaiting ATC facilities," said Prakash Pant, minister of state for tourism. At the same time, land has already been identified at Haridwar for an aviation academy offering professional training in the field. Himachal Pradesh also speaks for itself with its 56 helipads, and is looking forward to becoming the pioneering state in heli-taxi services. The state regards heli tourism as one of the viable options for inter and intra state connectivity. As far as Punjab is concerned - which has an existing international airport at Amritsar, despite not having many airstrips, it encourages a number of commercial pilot training schools. Haryana, which remains the only state to still not have an airport, is supported by the neighbouring states of Punjab and Delhi and its five good airstrips at Sarsa, Pinjore, Karnal, Narnaul and Bhiwani could be developed as workable stations. Consisting of 47 airstrips, the state of Rajasthan is also looking at different opportunities to develop most of its airstrips. Usha Punia, minister of tourism for state remarked that the government was extremely receptive of ideas and was currently looking at expansion of the Jaipur airport due to the increasing tourist traffic.