ROURKELA: With the Airports Authority of India (AAI) seemingly dragging its feet to equip the SAIL-owned Rourkela airport with all-weather operations and develop the airport further, the Odisha government has stepped in to bear the onus.
The principal secretary to the Commerce & Transport Department Usha Padhee in a letter, possessed by TNIE, to the AAI chairman Sanjiv Kumar on Tuesday urged for two Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for the upgradation of the Rourkela and the Jeypore airports.
Padhee, who was joint secretary in the Civil Aviation Ministry prior to taking over her present position, wrote the Rourkela and Jeypore airports in Odisha are in operation under the RCS scheme with VFR (Day) Operation Aerodrome Licence 2B and 2C respectively.
There have been several cancellations and diversions in recent times due to low visibility/bad weather conditions resulting in public complaints and demand for all weather operations at these airports.
Padhee requested the preparation of DPRs containing master planning, land requirement, siting of proposed Landing and Homing aids along with details of night landing facilities with Category 1 ILS, IAL including RNP (Required Navigational Performance) procedures with cost estimates for Rourkela and Jeypore airports for consideration of the state government. She urged both airports to be upgraded to 3C licence category. She said charges, if any, for these two DPRs may be intimated to the government for payment.
This development comes in the backdrop of the Civil Aviation Ministry forgetting its promises for the upgradation of the Rourkela airport and launching of flight operations on the Rourkela-Kolkata route following the completion of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023 at Rourkela.