Development work of Bilaspur Airport has come to a standstill, Hawai Suvidha Jansangharsh Samiti Bilaspur plans for an agitation
Raipur: Hawai Suvidha Jansangharsh Samiti,
Bilaspur, will hold an important meeting at 4 pm on Thursday to review the
process of works done on facility front since the operation of the Bilaspur
Airport on March 1, 2021 and other major issues related to the airport. It is
worthwhile to mention, Bilaspur has been connected to the national capital
Delhi only and that too via Allahabad or Jabalpur.
To be noted, the 3C VFR Airport could be
possible in Bilaspur from March 1, 2021 following a public movement that
continued for a longer period. Here only 72 and 78 seater aircrafts can fly during
day. Once Sun sets in, flight operations is not possible here as the airport
sans IFR (night landing facility). The terminal building is so small that it
cannot accommodate passengers of two flights if they simultaneously land at the
airport. The state government had in November, 2019, announced Rs 7 crore for
the new building and Rs 8 crore for developing night landing facility at the
airport. Till date, Public Works Department, State Government, could not even
prepare a map of the building. Similarly, Airports Authority of India (AAI) had
not even sent its team for a survey on the new constructions after the deposit
of fund for the instalment of new equipment at the airport. It can be said that
neither the state nor the center are serious about the development of Bilaspur
airport even after assurance by the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel
and Union Aviation Minister for every possible support for the development of
the airport. The people of Bilaspur feel cheated by these governments.
To be mentioned, a number of private
players carried out surveys to start their flight services from Bilaspur to
metro cities across the country, but they could not make any progress when they
came to know that this route is not included in the 4.1 Scheme. Similarly, the Central government is keeping mum on the demand of subsidy on the direct flight
operations from Bilaspur to Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Kolkata instead of
making its stand clear on the same. At present the passenger fare from Bilaspur
to Delhi varies between Rs 7000 and Rs 8000, making passengers to catch either
flight from Raipur or travel by train to Delhi.
Keeping aforesaid issues in mind, Samiti
has convened a meeting at Raghavendra Rao Auditorium at 4 pm on Thursday. The
Samiti may resume its agitation and a resolution to this effect may be passed
in the meeting.