Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh lacked its own aviation policy so far. For the first time, the aviation department has prepared the draft of the policy. After necessary consideration, draft of aviation policy will be sent for cabinet approval.
The proposed aviation policy has many striking features which will help the state in taking a big leap in the aviation sector. Sources in Mantralaya said that the proposed draft of aviation policy emphasise that all tehsil and block headquarters shall have one permanent helipad.
This arrangement will ease VIP movement from one place to another apart from providing facilities to air ambulance and tourists. Other than this, the policy draft stresses to turn selected airports as international airports.
As of now, the state is having six major airports including the recently inaugurated Rewa Airport. The draft policy has been prepared in a visionary manner. It envisages having at least one airstrip at every 100 km.
Likewise, it backs to have operation of one commercial flight at a distance of every 150 km. In other words, in one-hour drive, one can either find an airstrip or an airport. Moreover, the policy speaks to open three MRO’s (Maintenance, Repair and Overall) to serve various needs of the aircraft. The aviation department has taken guidance of the Aviation Ministry of Government of India in preparing the policy draft.
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Aviation dept authorizes MPRDC
The aviation department had authorised MPRDC (Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation) for preparation of policy draft. The MPRDC hired a consultancy firm to do survey in aviation field and to come up with suggestions about what new things could be done in the aviation sector in the state. In box State has 26 airstrips.
Currently, the state is having around 26 airstrips. Of these, eight airstrips have gone under the Centre’s ambitious scheme named as the Regional Connectivity Scheme.
These airstrips are Shivpuri, Datia, Ujjain, Chhindwara, Neemuch, Khandwa, Shahdol and Mandla.
‘Aviation policy under discussion stage’
Principal Secretary, Aviation Department, Sanjay Kumar Shukla told Free Press that things are on discussion stage as far as the proposed aviation policy is concerned.
Discussion has been done with major departments barring a few including the finance department. Shortly, a draft policy will be put before the cabinet for approval.
