Kullu-Manali airport runway work to be completed this year: Patel

Kullu, Mar 19 (UNI) Union Aviation Minister Praful Patel today said construction work on the extension of Kullu-Manali airport runway would start during this financial year and would be completed within a year.

The ministry is also planning to provide night landing facilities at Kullu-Manali and Kangra airports of Himachal Pradesh, he said, while inaugurating the new terminal building of Kullu-Manali airport at Bhuntar in the district.

Mr Patel said Air India flights, which were curtailed recently from four to two times a week, would soon land and take off daily from here.

Observing that the ministry had taken steps to introduce flights to small destinations, he said the Centre has introduced regional airlines theory under which these airlines would be provided cheap aviation fuel.

Besides, these airlines would not have to pay landing charges to make them viable, he added.

Mr Patel said the cargo plane services would soon be introduced to far flung areas of the country, including Himachal, from where people could export and import goods and their agriculture, horticulture and floriculture products.

Referring to tourism potential in the state, he said the union government would provide all necessary support to make tourism a big industry for generating employment to the unemployed and improve boost the state's economy.

MORE UNI XC AS PS BJR RN1850