Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has conveyed to Dhanbad MP P N Singh that the anticipated commencement of operations at the upcoming Bokaro airport (in Jharkhand) is expected for early next year, catering specifically to ATR-72 type aircraft.
In response to Singh’s inquiry regarding the progress of the Bokaro airport project falling within his constituency’s jurisdiction, Scindia, in a letter to Singh, disclosed that the airport has been designated under the Centre’s Udan scheme to facilitate commercial flights connecting Kolkata and Patna.
The construction work pertinent to the operations of ATR-72 aircraft has been successfully completed.
The process of obtaining the necessary license for flight operations is currently underway and is projected to conclude by February 2024.
Upon approval, the Selected Airline Operator (SAO) can initiate flights linking Bokaro to Kolkata and Patna.
Singh, citing Scindia’s letter, emphasised that he has already communicated the minister’s response to Jharkhand Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh and has urged the government for the expeditious completion of the airport project, reports Economic Times.
Highlighting concerns over the sluggish pace of construction at Bokaro airport, Singh stressed the need for the state government to address essential aspects such as security, health, and firefighting under the airport scheme.
He expressed dissatisfaction with the delayed progress, emphasising that the extended timeline has caused frustration among the local population eager for air connectivity from their region to other parts of the country.
The Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) — UDAN scheme aims to meet the aspirations of the common citizen by improving aviation infrastructure and air connectivity in tier II and tier III cities.
To revive and develop 100 unserved and under-served airports, helipads, and water aerodromes by 2024, the government has approved the ‘revival of unserved and under-served airports’ scheme.