ROURKELA: Amid uncertainty over restoration of commercial flights from Rourkela, a team of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday inspected the upgraded airport of Steel Authority of India (SAIL) here for conversion of ARC 2B licence to ARC 2C.
The team comprised DGCA deputy director Manish Thakur, assistant director Kunja Bihari Arya, general manager, Air Traffic RS Lahuria and officials of Airports Authority of India, India Meteorological Department and Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP).
ATR-72 aircraft can be operated from Rourkela airport once it is granted ARC 2C licence. Sources said the airport work is likely to gather pace as the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup is just a month away. The DGCA team would continue its inspection of the airport on Thursday.
On Monday, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia told the Rajya Sabha that upgradation of Rourkela airport was complete and operation of flights depended on grant of ARC 2C licence by the DGCA.
Former general secretary of Steel Executives’ Federation of India (SEFI) Bimal Bisi said it is expected that Rourkela airport would be granted ARC 2C licence within a few days in view of the Hockey World Cup. However, he said residents of the Steel City apprehend that commercial flights from Rourkela would be stopped once the World Cup is over. Rourkela airport was included in the Regional Connectivity Scheme - Udey Desh Ka Aam Nagarik (RCS-UDAN) in 2017.