CM directs UCADA to connect every district and major tourist sites with air services
Friday, 19 July 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami directed the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) to connect every district and important tourist places with air services. He also directed the officials to make arrangements for night landing at Pantnagar airport and pay attention to its expansion and development of infrastructure facilities like in the Dehradun airport. Besides this, he also directed them to ensure effective arrangements to stop black marketing of tickets during the Char Dham Yatra. The CM stated this in the ninth meeting of the board of directors of the UCADA at the secretariat in Dehradun on Thursday.
The CM gave his nod to start the process of purchasing new aircraft for the State. He said that UCADA should take a new aircraft on lease until it purchases a new one. He also gave his approval for signing an MoU with the Airports Authority of India to establish manned traffic control centres at helipads in Kedarnath Dham and Sahastradhara to establish contact with the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) in case of emergency for operating the helicopter service.
Besides this, the CM also gave approval for purchasing a fuel pump for refuelling helicopters and a vehicle for transporting oil barrels in the Kumaon region. He said that the officials concerned should also pay special attention to increasing air connectivity in the State and make a proposal if they need support in this regard from the central government. He asked them to work towards increasing the connectivity of Pantnagar airport with major cities of the country. He also directed them to prepare a master plan for the proper use of land in the Pantnagar airport area.
Dhami said that it is necessary to expand and strengthen air connectivity in the State to promote industries and destinations. People will be more motivated to visit if the State will have good air connectivity and associated facilities.
The CM also asked UCADA officials to focus on efforts to increase sources of income. He directed them to make Naini Saini, Chinyalisaur and Gauchar airstrips more convenient so that small aircraft facilities can be made available there too. He also directed them to pay attention to making the heliports being developed under the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme more convenient with necessary resources.
