Chandigarh: One of the fastest growing airports in the country has got its wings clipped yet again. The Air Force has ignored directives by the ministry of defence to allow commercial airlines to operate from the Chandigarh airport at night at a time when it is seeing a hefty surge in flyers.
Airports Authority Of India (AAI) numbers show that only 1.5 lakh people had used the airport in 2006. In 2013, 8.86 lakh passengers used the facility despite the Air Force not allowing commercial flights after 8pm. Clearance by the Air Force is required because it controls the air traffic control (ATC) and the runway of the dual-use airport.
Sources confirmed to TOI that the Air Force authorities have refused to extend the watch hours citing "shortage of staff at air traffic control" to handle more flights.
Former minister of state for defence Jitendra Singh had extended the watch hours considering the "emergence of Chandigarh as an important hub for multi-faceted development of the region". "...the ministry of defence has extended permission for some of the private airlines to operate flights beyond 8pm," the MoS had stated in a letter to the then Chandigarh MP, Pawan Bansal.
Read news in full 05/06/14 Ajay Sura/Times of India
Airports Authority Of India (AAI) numbers show that only 1.5 lakh people had used the airport in 2006. In 2013, 8.86 lakh passengers used the facility despite the Air Force not allowing commercial flights after 8pm. Clearance by the Air Force is required because it controls the air traffic control (ATC) and the runway of the dual-use airport.
Sources confirmed to TOI that the Air Force authorities have refused to extend the watch hours citing "shortage of staff at air traffic control" to handle more flights.
Former minister of state for defence Jitendra Singh had extended the watch hours considering the "emergence of Chandigarh as an important hub for multi-faceted development of the region". "...the ministry of defence has extended permission for some of the private airlines to operate flights beyond 8pm," the MoS had stated in a letter to the then Chandigarh MP, Pawan Bansal.
Read news in full 05/06/14 Ajay Sura/Times of India
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