Punjab govt to acquire more land for Amritsar airport

Chandigarh, June 21 (UNI) The Punjab Government will acquire additional land for the further upgradationg of the Raja Sansi (Amritsar) International airport which is presently handling 84 international and 16 domestic flights in a week.

In a written reply to Raminder Singh Bolaria (SAD) during Question Hour in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha here today, Civil Aviation Minister Upinderjit Kaur said that the Airport Authority of India (AAI) had made a demand of 43 acres 5 kanal and one marla for the further upgradation of the airport.

This land is to be used for construction of a parallel taxi track and re-location of operational readiness platform, she added.

The provision of funds for acquisition of this land had been made by the department of planning in the current financial year 2007-08.

She pointed out in his budget speech yesterday, Finance Minister had announced in the House that the state government had allocated the required Rs eight crore for the acquisition of land required for the further expansion of the airport, she pointed out.

From 1997, when a decision was taken by the central government to upgrade this airport, the sate government had provided 161 acres, three kanal and 14 marla land to the AAI, free of cost for the upgradation, she said. This upgradation is being undertaken by the AAI.

The Minister told the house that with the upgradation of facilities and infrastructrue, there had been a consdierable increase in the number of passengers using this airprot and at present, 84 international and 16 domestic flights per week are operating from this airport. Phase-III work of the upgradation was likely to be compelted by the end of this year, she added.

At present this airport can handle the biggest aircrafts like Boeing 777 and Boeing 747, she said.

UNI