Losses at airport likely to touch Rs 49 cr in current fiscal

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 27

Losses of the Sri Guru Ramdas Jee International Airport are likely to touch Rs 49 crore in the current fiscal ending on March 31, compared to last year’s nearly Rs 35 crore.

Airport director Venkateshwar Rao categorically said, “It does not mean that the economic health of the airport is bad, as it includes operational cost, capital investment for development and depreciation. At present, development works over Rs 110 crore are underway at the airport”.

He said the annual footfall of passengers at Sri Guru Ramdas Jee International Airport is likely to cross over a record 15 lakh this financial year (2016-17), which will qualify it to be declared as a major airport.

He said that Business Development Cell of the Ministry of Aviation has sought expression of interest for the airport’s city beautification plan. As per this, a five-star hotel and a three-star hotel with a food and beverage hub will come up in the airport complex. Besides, a multi-layer car parking facility would also be set up.

He said that two more aero-bridges would be constructed by September while an equal number of these are already available.

The airport is equipped with state-of-the-art features like surveillance radar, Surface Movement Guidance and Control System, re-carpeting of 3,658 meter long runway which can cater aircraft operations of Boeing 747-400 and Boeing 767-400 ER is underway with an investment of over Rs 100 crore.

Rao said installation of Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (ASMGCS), which is a part of the CAT-IIIB ILS system, basically used to monitor surface movement in the vicinity of airport, i.e. aircarft as well as vehicle movement, will also be installed.

Rajya Sabha Member Shwet Malik, who is also an Aviation Consultative Committee member, said the Ministry of Civil Aviation has decided to fly direct Amritsar-London flight from Amritsar airport from April. He said he would request the government to extend it to Toronto (Canada) and would also put up a demand for another flight from Amritsar to the USA.

He announced that two private airlines would launch four flights from next month. Air Vistara will fly two flights, Delhi-Amritsar-Delhi and Mumbai-Amritsar-Mumbai. Indigo will also fly two flights, Delhi-Amritsar-Delhi and Mumbai-Amritsar-Mumbai.

Malik said that 9,000 square meter area on the first floor of the main building of the airport will be developed, construction of a parallel taxi track, relocation of IAF billets, raising of CISF barracks with collective investment of Rs 93 crore will also be done.