Rajasansi (Amritsar), April 13
To develop Rajasansi international airport as a maintenance hub for aircraft and to meet the requirements of flight operations by 2020, the IAF has reportedly given its tacit approval to the Airport Authority of India (AAI) to shift its station from the airport complex to an appropriate site.

At present the AAI has 1,050 acres available at this airport, of which almost 600 to 700 acres is in possession of the IAF. The same cannot be available for the development of passenger facilities to the AAI even as passenger traffic has substantially grown from mere 30,000 in 1999 to 4.30 lakh these days.

“With the present available land it is impossible to accommodate all facilities, including additional runway, parallel taxi track, additional terminal, more parking stands for the aircraft and passenger facilities as well”, says Mr V.S.Mulekar, Director, airport.

He, however, claimed that with the shifting of the officers’ residential complex, signal centre and other operational offices belonging to the IAF, approximately 40 acres will be additionally available with the AAI for construction of parking, etc. He said the IAF in a dramatic shift offered to vacate certain areas in their possession on the request of AAI in a meeting held in New Delhi recently.