Airport going to be International

Biju Patnaik Airport to be suitable for International Operations after renovation of terminal 21/05/2012
SIDDHARTHA SHANKAR MISHRA, BUREAU CHIEF,ODISHA
INDINO/THESE DAYS NEWS SERVICE:

Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ajit Singh said after commissioning of the new domestic terminal building, modification of the existing domestic terminal building will be undertaken to make it suitable for international operations. Minister Ajit Singh said this in Rajya Sabha in reply to question asked by BJD member Rabinarayan Mohapatra.


Minister Ajit Singh said that declaration of airport as international is subject to airport modernization underway. It includes construction of a new terminal building with all modern amenties including two aerobridges for handling 800 passenger at a time. He said that after commissioning of the new domestic terminal building, modification of the existing domestic terminal building will be undertaken to make it suitable for international operations.


Minister Singh said that the Indian carriers are eligible to operate the international operate the foreign destinations from any point in India as per the respective bilateral air services agreements with concerned foreign countries. However, actual operations by any airlines is always guided by its commercial judgment.


He said that, so far 17 airports have been declared as international in the country. The essential parameters to consider declaring of an airport as international inter-alia include international sector traffic potential, requirements of airlines, availability of international cargo complex and so other infrastructure facilities.