The Himachal government has asked for a speedy clearance from the Centre for the proposed Rs 700-crore international airport in Balh valley, near Sundernagar, in order to improve the air connectivity, by accommodating the landing of larger aircraft.
In a letter to the civil aviation minister, chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has urged for the early clearance of the Sundernagar green field airport project. Dhumal, in that letter, has pointed out that despite the fact that techno-economic feasibility studies, carried out several times at the identified site by Airport Authority of India experts, the reports submitted were still awaiting the clearance of the Centre.
The chief minister also added that the proposed green field airport is estimated to cost about Rs 700 crore and would help in promoting businesses as well boost quality tourism.
The state?s economy is mainly dependent on apple crop and for transport, the state is dependent upon roads, as rail and air connectivity is grossly deficient, Dhumal said.
The three functional airports at Jubbar Hatti near Shimla, Bhuntar in Kullu-Manali, and Gaggal in Kangra valley were not able to meet the needs of the state as only smaller planes and take off and land in them. The Balh valley is located in the middle of the state and good road connectivity would help visitors to access Kullu, Manali, Kangra valley and Shimla hills as well.
Sources in the chief minister?s office told FE on phone, ?The airport will go a long way in promoting tourism in the hill state, as Himachal Pradesh was the only state which has no big airport to facilitate the landing of the wide-bodied aircraft. This has been an impediment in attracting high-paying foreign tourists to visit the state.?
While seeking a clearance for the international airport the government has overruled opposition by hundreds of families who fear that they would be dislocated and thousands of pine trees, axed. The residents point out that during the past 10 years a number of surveys have been conducted, but no one has bothered to find any alternate site for their habitation.
They also suggested adequate compensation for themselves. Government sources have assured that the people would be given ?good? compensation packages and efforts would be made to get them jobs.