Punjab becomes first state to set up aviation MRO hub

CHANDIGARH: Punjab has become the first state in the country to setup Aviation Maintenance; Repair and Overhaul (MRO)  hub at Rupnagar. Besides, a new Green field International Airport (Aerotropolis) near Ludhiana would come up in an area covering 3000 acres and would be the first green-field international airport in north India to be set-up in the private sector.



This was disclosed to the State Advisory Committee on Civil Aviation, constituted by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, in its meting held here on Friday to review the progress of ongoing projects of civil aviation in the state. Presiding over the meeting the Civil Aviation Minister Punjab Dr. Upinderjit Kaur said that the that clearance to this dream project "signals the entry of Punjab into a higher orbit of international air connectivity and makes Punjab one of the finest and most easily accessible tourist destinations in South Asia. This would also propel the state into the zone of high intensity international trade and commerce, she said.

The Minister said that the Aerotropolis would be built in the Private Sector by M/s. Bengal Aerotropolis and has Changi International Airport of Singapore as partner. The aerotropolis would come up in an area covering 3000 acres and would be the first green-field international airport in north India to be set-up in the private sector. The Aerotopolis a modern age concept of a township-oriented airport, along the Singapore-Frankfurt model, would be developed with a total fiscal lay out of Rs. 17500 crore, she added.

The Civil Aviation Minister further added that the MRO would be developed over an area of 50 acre near Rupnagar at a cost of Rs. 30 crore. The upcoming MRO hub would be "OEM approved maintenance centre. The MRO hub would be instrumental to generate tremendous employment both direct and indirect in the field of civil aviation besides promoting heli-tourism in Punjab in a big way. Besides this, the hub would also act as a catalyst to give fillip in raising the standards of flying at flying academies in Patiala and Amritsar, she said.

Dr. Upinderjit Kaur said that the international flights from Chandigarh-Mohali international airport would be operational from June, 2010. He informed that to facilitate the late night international flight operations, the officers of Airport Authority of India has been directed to extend watch hours of air traffic controller (ATC) upto midnight. Besides the business flights from Sahnewal (Luhiana) airport would be made operational within six months, the Minister said.

It was also informed in the meeting that the Civil Enclave Bathinda and the extended Cargo and bonded warehouse facility at Amritsar International Airport had already been cleared by the AAI, apart from approval by the Ministry of Defence and GoI for setting up of Talwandi Sabo and Faridkot Flying Training Academies. Besides, the State Government had also cleared the proposal to set up three flying training schools at Amritsar, Ludhiana and Bathinda in public private partnership (PPP) mode besides upgrading the infrastructure at Patiala Flying training academy.

Among other committee members Mr Harminder Singh Jassi MLA, Mr. Harish Bedi MLA, Mr. Viswajit Khanna Secretary Civil Aviation and other officers of Civil Aviation Department were also present n the meeting.