Team Herald

MARGAO: The Union Civil Aviation Ministry on Saturday said that 43 unused airports will be operationalised within a year. The Civil Aviation Ministry said that flying to these facilities would be as cheap as Rs 2,500 for an hourlong journey.

“The main concept behind operationalising these 43 unused airports in Hosur, Bidar, Akola, Nanded, Sholapur and other areas is to improve the regional connectivity to the hinterland. The proposals are already received from eleven private bidders who will put these airports into commercial operations,” R N Choubey Union Civil Aviation Secretary told media. 

The Aviation Minister along with the Secretary, Chairman of AAI and others briefed the media after inaugurating the three-daylong workshop on SkyRev 360, the indigenously developed software under Make In India to help manage revenue in the sky.

For the last so many years India was with the current strength of 72 airports and in a matter of one year the same is about to grow by 43 more airports. 

Meanwhile, the AAI, IATA and the Union Ministry for Civil Aviation under the Make in India banner inaugurated the workshop on SkyRev 360, for the indigenously developed software. The ministry has conducted the workshops for 20 countries, which have shown expression of interest so that they can make use of this product at their air terminals. 

B C H Negi, Airport Director, Goa, Dr Guruprasad Mohapatra, Chairman, Airport Authority Of India, R N Choubey, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Conrad Clifford, Regional Vice President, IATA, ASPAC were present at the press briefing.