The Hindu Business Line : Pawan Hans planning copter services in TN

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New Delhi Feb. 17 Air connectivity and airport development in Tamil Nadu and other parts of south India are set to enter the fast track with several new projects being considered by the various State governments.

Official sources told Business Line that a team from Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd (PHHL) had visited several cities in Tamil Nadu including Madurai, Kodaikanal and Rameshwaram to study the feasibility of starting helicopter services.

"The feasibility report has been submitted to the State Government," officials said, and added that a team from PHHL would shortly be visiting Puducherry to undertake a similar exercise for starting helicopter services there also.

PHHL has indicated that it would be willing to provide a helicopter to the State government or any other agency on a long-term lease basis to start helicopter services in South India.

"The helicopter would be totally dedicated to the states and could be utilised for regular passenger services on the sectors desired. This is already being done in the other States such as Meghalaya and Tripura," senior Government official said.

Expansion

In addition, in order to create a world-class airport in Chennai, it is proposed to acquire 583 hectares of land from the State Government for construction of a second runway including a new integrated terminal building and other related infrastructure facilities. The new measures being undertaken at Chennai airport to make the journey more comfortable include construction of a new domestic terminal building at an estimated cost of Rs 150 crore, construction of parallel runway, taxiways and aprons at an estimated cost of Rs 600 crore and construction of aero-links providing aerobridges and travelators at an estimated cost of Rs 35 crore.

Issues connected with airport infrastructure and air connectivity in south India will be discussed at the meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee, which is scheduled for February 19 in Kochi.

Similarly, at Madurai, Tuticorin and Tiruchi proposals have been put forward to extend the runways so that larger aircraft are able to land. Sources indicated that request had been made to the state to provide more land for expansion of the runways.

The airports in south India are also seeing an increase in demand from airlines to operate more flights.