Flight cancellation to be a thing of past for Mizoram

Aizawl, Jun 25 (UNI) Frequent flight cancellations due to poor visibility will soon be a thing of the past for Aizawl's Lengpui Airport where an Instrument Landing System (ILS) will be installed soon.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) had approved the proposal for installation of ILS at Lengpui Airport and work would commence soon, Wg Cmdr (Rtd) Lalnghinglova, OSD, Civil Aviation, told UNI here today.

The decision followed a meeting of the central committee on public undertakings officials and AAI officials recently.

The central committee purviewing Bhubaneswar, Aizawl, Angul and Kolkata discussed with BSNL officials and AAI officials about improvement of telecommunication and airports in the region, he said.

While the North Eastern Council (NEC) had sanctioned Rs 14.92 crore, another Rs 53.20 crore is expected from Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) for improvement of the state's only airport.

Besides the ILS, the improvement would include installation of additional DVOR at Sakawrhmuituai, the highest peak in Aizawl, that would be able to guide any plane safely to the airport even at night time, he said.

Flight cancellations due to poor visibility are more frequent during hazy spring season and misty monsoon. Needless to mention, high-level meeting comprising Central officials had to be postponed or cancelled for a number of time due to this, he said.

Once the ILS is installed and runway improved, Lengpui Airport can be the best airport in the NE region, the OSD added.

UNI ZS SJC AM AS1811