News Analysis India

Tag: AAI

  • No night landing facility at 25 airports in India

    By IANS

    NEW DELHI: There are 25 airports across the country which don’t have night landing facilities. Kushinagar airport, Shimla airport and recently inaugurated Deoghar airport in Jharkhand are among the list of 25 airports.

    The ministry of civil aviation on Monday said in the Rajya Sabha that the upgradation or modernisation of airports, including provision of night landing facility is a continuous process and is undertaken by Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other airport operators from time to time depending on the availability of land, commercial viability, socio- economic considerations, traffic demand and willingness of airlines to operate to/from such airports etc.

    “Presently night landing facility which is purely demand and need based on operational requirement of airlines and availability of land is not available at 25 operational airports with scheduled flight operations,” said the ministry.

    The list of airports not having night landing facility also include airports like Kullu and Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh, Bilaspur and Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh, Kalaburagi in Karnataka, Kolhapur and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra and and Ludhiana in Punjab among others.

    AAI has undertaken installation of a night landing facility at Kolhapur airport. A team of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has carried out the inspection of the airport on June 10, 2022. AAI has already initiated action for compliance of the observations made by DGCA during the inspection.

    The country has over 100 operational airports and officials said that the airports not having night landing facilities are mostly those recording lower air passenger traffic. Airports Authority of India, which manages most of the airports in India, takes up a particular one for consideration for providing night landing facilities, when airlines show an interest during night operations.

    NEW DELHI: There are 25 airports across the country which don’t have night landing facilities. Kushinagar airport, Shimla airport and recently inaugurated Deoghar airport in Jharkhand are among the list of 25 airports.

    The ministry of civil aviation on Monday said in the Rajya Sabha that the upgradation or modernisation of airports, including provision of night landing facility is a continuous process and is undertaken by Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other airport operators from time to time depending on the availability of land, commercial viability, socio- economic considerations, traffic demand and willingness of airlines to operate to/from such airports etc.

    “Presently night landing facility which is purely demand and need based on operational requirement of airlines and availability of land is not available at 25 operational airports with scheduled flight operations,” said the ministry.

    The list of airports not having night landing facility also include airports like Kullu and Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh, Bilaspur and Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh, Kalaburagi in Karnataka, Kolhapur and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra and and Ludhiana in Punjab among others.

    AAI has undertaken installation of a night landing facility at Kolhapur airport. A team of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has carried out the inspection of the airport on June 10, 2022. AAI has already initiated action for compliance of the observations made by DGCA during the inspection.

    The country has over 100 operational airports and officials said that the airports not having night landing facilities are mostly those recording lower air passenger traffic. Airports Authority of India, which manages most of the airports in India, takes up a particular one for consideration for providing night landing facilities, when airlines show an interest during night operations.

  • PM Modi to inaugurate Kushinagar International Airport on Wednesday. Find details here

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: Kushinagar international airport, an endeavour to connect Buddhist pilgrimage sites around the world, will be inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday.

    Kushinagar, considered to be comparatively a backward district in the Gorakhpur division, is expected to bring a huge uptick in tourism and the earnings of the people of eastern UP when the airport becomes operational.

    UP has with international airports already functional in Lucknow and PM Modi’s parliamentary constituency Varanasi. By 2024, the state is likely to become the only state in the country with five international airports as Ayodhya airport will become functional by 2022 and Jewar by 2024.

    Kushinagar is the place where Buddha attained ‘mahaparinirvana’ (salvation). With international air connectivity, the place will become easily accessible for Buddhist pilgrims across the world.

    On February 23, the Director-General Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a licence for international flights to Kushinagar airport which will be the third licensed international airport of UP.

    The inauguration of Kushinagar International Airport will be marked by the landing of the inaugural flight from Colombo, Sri Lanka, carrying a Sri Lankan delegation of over 100 Buddhist monks and dignitaries including the 12-member holy relic entourage bringing the holy Buddha relics for exposition.

    The delegation will have five ministers of the Lankan government led by cabinet minister Namal Rajapakshe. Built at an estimated cost of Rs 260 crore, Kushinagar Airport will serve nearbydistricts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and is expected to give a fillip to investment and employment opportunities in the region. 

    While KUSHINAGAR International Airport will be inaugurated by PM @narendramodi Ji on 20th Oct, grand Abhidhamma Day will be celebrated and sacred Buddha Relic will be taken to Kushinagar, UP from Waskaduwa Sri Subuddhi Rajvihara Temple, Sri Lanka by the mahanayake of the Temple. https://t.co/SlbYcwgANe pic.twitter.com/Afh2FeOSey
    — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) October 19, 2021
    Kushinagar International Airport has the longest runway of 3.2 km length in the state and is 45 metres wide. The airport has the capacity for four arrivals and four departures of flights per hour. It also has a 3,600 square metre interim passenger building and arrangements are being made to make night flights also possible.

    As per immigration bureau records, there has been a footfall to the tune of 42 lakh tourists in Kushinagar from 18 Buddhist countries in the last five years. “After international air connectivity, tourism will increase by 20%,” said AK Dwivedi, director, Kushinagar International Airport.

    Significantly, the other two international airports functional in UP are Lucknow’s Chaudhury Charan Singh airport and Varanasi’s Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport.

    While Chaudhury Charan Singh Airport is connected to 29 destinations and five countries, Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport is connected with 16 destinations and two countries.

    PM Modi will visit UP tomorrow & inaugurate the Kushinagar International AirportThe inauguration will be marked by landing of inaugural flight at the airport from Colombo carrying Sri lankan delegation of over 100 Buddhist Monks & dignitaries incl 12-member Holy Relic entourage pic.twitter.com/22GiQPt3fn
    — ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2021
    The air connectivity of Uttar Pradesh has increased manifold since 2017.  Till 2017, only four airports were functional in UP. Among them, only Lucknow and Varanasi were in regular use. Rest Gorakhpur and Agra seldom had flights.

    At present, eight airports including Lucknow, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Prayagraj, Kanpur, Bareilly, Agra, and Hindon are fully functional in the state. “Before 2017, there were only 25 destinations from Lucknow, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, and Agra combined; today, that service has expanded to three times more destinations,” said a senior civil aviation official.

    The international destinations with which Uttar Pradesh is connected include Bangkok, Kaula Lampur, Kathmandu, Sharjah, Dubai, and Muscat.

    Along with the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, work on Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram Airport is also on the fast track. For this, in February 2021, the Centre released Rs 250 crore and the state government sanctioned a total of Rs 1001.77 crore to buy 555.7 acres of additional land for the dream project. So far, 377 acres of land have been provided to AAI for the development of the airport. 

    Work is being done to start flights from the airport by 2022.

    Similarly, the construction of ‘Noida International Airport, Jewar, one of the largest in the world, according to the government, will start soon. In addition to that, eight more airport projects at Azamgarh, Aligarh, Chitrakoot, Lalitpur, Moradabad, Sonbhadra, Shravasti, and Saharanpur (Sarsawan) are under construction and will be operational soon. UP Civil Aviation Secretary Surendra Singh said once all the 17 airports become functional, the state will get a connectivity boost, which will result in an upswing in tourism and employment.

  • New integrated terminal building at Andaman’s VSI Airport to be ready by June 2022 

    By PTI

    PORT BLAIR: The construction of the new integrated terminal building of the Veer Savarkar International Airport here is likely to be completed by June next year, a top airport official said.

    Currently work is going on in full swing for the new world class terminal building that is being built at an estimated cost of Rs 417 crore, the official said.

    Veer Savarkar International Airport, Director, Jameel Khaliq told PTI that 83 per cent of the construction of the new terminal building of Airport has been completed.

    The Airports Authority of India has set a target date of June 2022 for the completion of the project.

    The new terminal building, once complete, will also give a boost to the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) that aims to enhance connectivity to India’s unserved and under-served airports.

    Besides, the terminal will also provide new employment avenues for islanders and be major boost to the modern infrastructure in these islands.

    The scheme has received significant interest from leading domestic carriers and startup airlines due to the various fiscal and monetary incentives therein and the three-year exclusive right to operate on the allotted RCS (Regional Connectivity Scheme) routes, said the official.

    The new integrated terminal building of the airport, being built in an area of 40,000 square metres, will be able to handle 1,200 passengers — 600 domestic and 600 international passengers– at a time during peak hours.

    The shell-shaped design of the building has been inspired by nature – a shape which is a part of the seas and islands.

    The height of the terminal building roof would vary between 18 metres and 32 metres.

    The building will have three floors.

    While one floor would be used as departure and as service area, the other floors would be used for access to the terminal building and for arrival of passengers, and as waiting lounge for international passengers.

    Among other facilities, the new airport will have four aerobridges, 10 elevators and six escalators, 28 check-in counters, an in-line scan system for handling baggage, three conveyor belts for arrival baggage, two for domestic and one for International, which will be separated by a sliding glass partition.

    The terminal will also feature easy check-in, ease of movement to departure gates and minimum queuing as well as nice waiting and shopping areas and 100 per cent natural lighting for 12 hours a day which will be achieved by skylights along the roof.

    The Veer Savarkar International airport is the main airport in the union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

  • AAI spent Rs 17,784 cr in last 5 years to build, renovate airports, says govt

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has spent approximately Rs 17,784 crore during the last five years in renovating or building airports across the country, Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh said on Wednesday.

    In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, Singh also said that the central government has accorded in-principle approval to two greenfield airports — Jewar in Uttar Pradesh and Hollongi in Arunachal Pradesh — during the last three years.

    “During the last five years (2016-17 to 2020-21), an amount of approximately Rs 17,784 crore has been spent by the government/AAI in renovating/building airports,” he mentioned.

  • AAI taking all precautions in view of cyclone Tauktae

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) on Saturday announced suspension of scheduled flight services at Agatti Airport in Lakshadweep till 10 am on May 16 due to heavy rains.

    The Authority has directed all airports concerned to take all precautions and plan preparedness in view of cyclone ‘Tauktae’ approaching the western coast of the country, AAI said in a statement.

    The airport will be made operational as and when cyclone passes the area, AAI said.

    The AAI senior management earlier on Saturday took stock of the situation with the southern and western region airports at a virtual meeting.

    ALSO READ | Houses in Kasaragod devoured by sea: Not just Cyclone Tauktae, residents blame harbour too

    Keeping safety in mind and to minimize damage to the airport infrastructure, airports are advised to plan as per the SOP and guidelines, while precautionary measures are being ensured by airports concerned, AAI said.

    India Meteorological Department issued a weather forecast regarding pre-cyclone watch for south Gujarat and Diu coasts (depression over Lakshadweep area), AAI said.

    As per the forecast, it is very likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours and intensify further.

    It is very likely to move north-northwestwards and reach near Gujarat coast by May 18 morning and a warning has been issued for Lakshadweep islands, Kerala, Tamil Nadu (Ghat districts) and Karnataka (coastal & adjoining Ghat districts), as per AAI.

  • COVID-19: 18,000 AAI employees not taking vaccine jabs due to fear, confusion

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Despite the continuous appeal of the government to come forward and get vaccinated, people are not coming forward to get inoculated due to fear and confusion. Such is the case with the 18,000 employees of the Airport Authority Employees Union (AAEU).

    AAEU General Secretary Balraj Singh Ahlawat has appealed to his employees several times to come forward and get vaccinated.

    “Our union has around 18,000 employees strength across India and around 12,000 employees are aged above 45 years, but most of the employees are in fear and confusion, if they get the jab, they will have some side effects and many reports have suggested that after vaccines people get infected again,” the AAEU General Secretary told ANI.

    He further said, “Employees of the AAEU union are posted at different airports across the country but we are unable to set up a vaccination camp unfortunately because not even 100 employees are ready for the vaccination.”

    His statemnet came in the backdrop of Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan’s letter to the states/Union Territories dated April 6, 2021, directing them to organise COVID-19 vaccination sessions, which should have atleast about hundred eligible and willing beneficiaries.

    “In order to increase the access of vaccine to these populations, COVID-19 vaccination sessions may be organised at workplace (both public and private) which are having about hundred eligible and willing beneficiaries by taking this work place with an existing Covid Vaccination Centre,” read the Union Health Secretary’s letter.

    The union is receiving complaints from employees that many people have got infected with coronavirus even after vaccination and many are suffering from side effects.

    The Secretary General of AAEU issuing a clarification said, “I and my wife have taken the first dose of vaccines together and we are feeling well, I will make it clear to all of you that you take the vaccines on an urgent basis,” said Ahlawat.

    “If we can enroll 100 employees then we will set up a vaccination camp in Delhi on April 16. Currently our vaccinations camps are working in Kolkata and Guwahati and others places but the staff is showing less interest,” he added. 

  • SC nod to disbursal of Rs 50,000 to widow of man who died due to AAI negligence

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has given its nod for disbursal of Rs 50,000 deposited in its “suitors fund” by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to the widow of a man who had died of cardiac arrest owing to negligence in shifting him to the nearest hospital in Kolkata in 2012.

    The AAI, under provisions of the Consumer Protection Act has deposited Rs 50,000 with the top court while filing an appeal against the October 7, 2015 order of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) which had held its negligence or deficiency in shifting the patient to the nearby hospital and directed payment of Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the widow.

    Under the Consumer Protection Act, if an appeal is preferred against an order of the NCDRC by a person who is required to pay any compensation, it would be entertained by the top court only if that person has deposited fifty per cent of that amount or Rs 50,000, whichever is less.

    The amount is deposited in the “suitors fund” of the top court and under the Supreme Court Rules, 2013, if the appeal is allowed by the court, then the amount deposited by the appellant would be refunded without interest but if it is dismissed, the amount will be allowed to be withdrawn by the other party or disbursed according to the directions of the court.

    A bench of Justice Ajay Rastogi on Friday allowed disbursal of Rs 50,000 to the widow after she moved an application on the ground that the appeal filed by the AAI had been dismissed by the court on November 29, 2019.

    Advocate Dushyant Parashar, appearing for the widow, contended that since the top court had upheld the order of the NCDRC that the AAI was negligent in shifting the man who had suffered cardiac arrest to the nearest hospital in Kolkata and dismissed the appeal, the amount deposited in suitors fund shall be disbursed to her.

    On November 29, 2019, a top court bench headed by Justice M M Shantanagoudar had said, “We find from the records that the Airports Authority of India was negligent in not shifting the patient to the hospital for treatment immediately. While refusing to interfere with the NCDRC order, it had noted that the man, who was travelling from Agartala to Delhi in a private airline flight, was deplaned at 12 noon, after he complained of chest pain at Kolkata airport and was not shifted to the nearest hospital at least after 2.30pm.

    “The ambulance was called only at 4.32 pm. No information is forthcoming by the Airports Authority of India as to why the ambulance was not immediately called for shifting the patient/deceased to the hospital.

    The deceased died at about 5.30 am on the next day in the hospital because of cardiac arrest,” the bench had noted.

    It had also noted that the NCDRC on facts has concluded that the AAI is negligent to a certain extent and directed it to pay a sum of Rs 10 lakh as compensation along with interest of nine per cent per annum from the date of filing of the complaint and quantified the cost of litigation at Rs 20,000.

    It had said, “Having regard to the entire material on record, and under the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case, we decline to interfere in the impugned judgment.

    We also decline to enhance the compensation as prayed for by the claimant.

    ” The deceased who leaves behind wife and three dependent children was travelling on November 24, 2012 and during the flight he had claimed of chest pain.

    The widow of the deceased has claimed compensation alleging negligence and deficiency on the part of the private airline as well as the AAI and moved the NCDRC.

    The private airline had claimed before the NCDRC that it had fulfilled its obligations cast upon it by applicable laws, rules and regulations and the demise of the deceased was not as a consequence of any act/omission attributable to it.

    The AAI has also opposed the claim of the widow and said that it owed no obligation or duty towards the deceased and it provides medical assistance free of cost on request of airlines concerned and therefore, the complainant cannot be said to be consumer of the AAI.

    After considering the facts of the case, the NCDRC had held that there was no deficiency on the part of private airline but said that the staff of AAI was “clearly negligent and deficient in rendering services to him” and ordered it to pay a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the widow.

  • ‘Ensure easy passenger pick up for app-based cabs at airports’: Parliament committee to AAI

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) needs to put proper signs and mark separate pathways at its airports so that picking up passengers becomes easier for app-based cabs as it would reduce traffic jams, said a Parliamentary Committee report released on Friday.

    The AAI, which works under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, owns and operates 125-odd airports across the country.

    “Most of the designated pick-up points (at AAI-operated airports) of UBER, OLA, etc. do not have appropriate identification marks for the passenger or the driver to identify his exact location at the airport,” said the Parliamentary Committee on Public Undertakings’ report tabled in Rajya Sabha on Friday.

    ​ALSO READ | New terminal building at Adampur airport to be ready by mid-2021: AAI

    In the absence of such signages or marks, it said, passengers and cab drivers face difficulty in communicating their exact locations resulting in wastage of precious time and causing crowding and traffic jams at the UBER and OLA pick-up points.

    Major airports, including in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad, are run by private companies and not by the AAI.

    The committee said that appropriate circles be marked in different colours on the ground at the airports with appropriate identification numbers so that passengers can communicate their exact locations to the drivers.

    “The identification number can also be displayed on the pillars or side walls in the area of the pick-up points which is easily visible to the drivers to locate the passengers,” it mentioned.

    Similarly, pathways can also be marked in numbers or colours for the cab drivers to communicate their exact locations, the report said.

    If the pick-up points are in an open area, trees or ground may be marked with identification numbers for the convenience of the passengers and the drivers, it stated.

    The committee said for the safety and security of passengers, a database of local taxi drivers registered at airports also needs to be maintained.