Decks are clear for setting up of civil airport in Barmer's Uttarlai.
Rajasthan government has decided to give 65 acres of land free of cost for the development of civil airport. The decision was taken by the cabinet through circulation.
At present, there is an airport in Uttarlai which is used by Indian Air Force. The government will develop civil airports parallel to the existing airport.
With the development of new civil airport a, Barmer will have air link soon. The existing airport at Uttarlai is being managed and operated by Air Force. So there is no regular air service. But with new civil airport, Barmer will get regular flights.
Soon after the cabinet approval, the civil aviation ministry has issued letter to the Barmer collector Nishant Jain and airport authority of India. The government has earmarked 69 acres of land for civil airport while 12 acres for approach road to be linked to the national highway. Besides government land, some parcel of land will be acquired from private landowners. The government has budgeted ₹5.7 crore for acquisition of land. Apart from that, 9 bigha of land at Uttarlai belongs to defence ministry. The government has sent proposal to defence ministry.
Long pending demand for civil airport at Uttarlai
Barmer has become an energy hub. It has oil fields operated by Cairn India and soon a refinery is going to be set up at Pachpadra.
“Barmer will be needing air connectivity. The civil airport will enable daily flights for Barmer,” said a senior government official.
After the cabinet approval, exercise for land acquisition will start.
The union minister of state for agriculture Kailash Choudhary, who is also member of parliament from Barmer said that the Congress government delayed the development of civil airport.
Choudhary, on social media, thanked Rajasthan chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma for fast tracking the Uttarlai civil airport project .
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