Govt says Rs 0.3 cr spent on Kargil airport this year

New Delhi, July 27 (IANS) The government on Thursday said that the development of Kargil airport has incurred an expenditure of Rs 0.30 crore by June 30 this year.

The total sanctioned budget for the airport is Rs 9.20 crore.

The government said that the Ministry of Civil Aviation had launched the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) - UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) on October 21, 2016, to stimulate regional air connectivity and make air travel affordable for the masses.

In a written reply to questions in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Gen (retd) V K Singh, an expenditure of Rs. 0.30 crore has been incurred by June 30, 2023 on the development of Kargil airport out of the total sanctioned budget of Rs. 9.20 crore.

He said that the Kargil airport is owned by the Indian Air Force and has been identified for development under the UDAN scheme.

“In the year 2021, a multi-disciplinary team from the Airports Authority of India, Indian Air Force, and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) visited sites at Turtuk (Nubra valley), Diskit (Nubra Tehsil), Nyoma, Padum/Zanskar, Wakha, and Kargil to examine the feasibility of these sites for the construction of airstrips,” the minister said.

“However, none of the sites were found suitable for the construction of airstrips as none of them meet the International Civil Aviation Organization provisions or DGCA guidelines for designing the Runway and instrument approach and landing considering normal air operations,” the minister added.

The minister said that the UDAN routes connecting Kargil Airport with Srinagar and Jammu have been awarded to Spicejet Ltd. under UDAN 4.2 round of bidding.

“The routes Thoise (Nubra) - Srinagar - Thoise and Thoise - Chandigarh - Thoise were awarded to Spicejet Ltd. for the operation of UDAN flights during UDAN-4.1 round of bidding. However, the selected airline operator later surrendered these routes. If any airline submits a valid bid for the operation of UDAN flights from Thoise (Nubra) in the forthcoming rounds of bidding, the same shall be considered as per the provisions of the scheme document,” the minister added.

The Minister of State was responding to questions raised by Jamyang Tsering Namgya, BJP MP Lok Sabha, who inquired about the details of the status of the upgradation of the existing airport in Kargil district, Union Territory of Ladakh.

“Whether the government proposes to construct new airports in Kargil district at Wakha, Padum in Zanskar subdivision, and other parts of Ladakh, and if so, the details thereof? If not, the reasons therefor? Whether the government has planned to operate civil flights in Kargil district and Nubra valley of Leh District, and if so, the details thereof? If not, the reasons therefor?” Namgya’s questions reads.

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