CHANDIGARH: In a significant development, the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Government of India had given a 'No Objection Certificate' for setting up a flying training institute at Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda district.

Disclosing this here today Chief Minister's Media Advisor Harcharan Bains said that the Punjab government had received in principle approval from the MoD, GoI through a communiqué saying that the Air Headquarters had no objection from aviation security angle for setting up of flying training institute at village Bahman Jassa Singh near Talwandi Sabo.  The Ministry of Defence had also stipulated that all local flights would be restricted with in the local flying area of 5 Nautical Miles radius centered round the Airport Reference Point (ARP) at the proposed location and vertically from ground level to 2500' Above the Ground Level.

The communiqué also referred that all flying training operations at the proposed institute would be subject to prior clearance from Chief Operations Officer, Air Force Stations Sirsa and Bathinda.  The NOC was subject to the final approval from other regulatory agencies like Director General Civil Aviation and Airports Authority of India.