Srinagar’s existing terminal to be expanded three times: Jyotiraditya Scindia
Srinagar,11-Oct; Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia said that a civil enclave will be built in Jammu at a cost of Rs 861 crores and Srinagar’s existing terminal will be expanded three times from 20,000 square meters to 60,000 square meters at a cost of Rs 1500 crores.
Scindia made the announcement at the inauguration of the 4th Heli-India Summit 2022 themed ‘Helicopters for last Mile Connectivity’ at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre in Srinagar yesterday. Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha was present at the summit.
Scindia said that the decrease in VAT on Aviation Turbine Fuel or ATF from 26.5 percent to one percent by the Jammu and Kashmir government has increased the air connectivity to Jammu and Kashmir. The Minister added that from 1947 to 2014, the country had only 74 airports but now the number has increased to 141, with 67 added in last seven years underlining the pace of progress in the Civil Aviation sector under. He added the government is committed to increase the number to above 200 in the next few years.
Scindia noted the various roles of helicopter service has been the emergency medical services and disaster management during floods, rescue operations among others and said that Jammu & Kashmir has set an example of the best use of helicopter service with the transmission lines and towers using heli-cranes on the Peer Panjal mountain range. The Minister remarked that J&K has seen a new dawn of development after the abrogation of Article 370, with increased road connectivity, air connectivity and development of railways infrastructure with work on Rupees one lakh crore worth projects underway in J&K. He informed that in terms of railway connectivity, Jammu and Kashmir will be connected to Kanyakumari by the next year.
