The chamber has initiated talks with corporate giants like Essar, Reliance, Kribhco, L&T, British Gas and IOC, all having their facilities in the Hazira-Surat belt, to ensure a steady flow of traffic. While Gujarat has the highest number of 11 airports, Surat remains cut off from the rest of the country, despite its being a major diamond and art silk centre. Hans and Gujarat Airways had in the past started operating flights from Surat but withdrew the services soon.

According to SGCCI vice-president Bharat T Gandhi, UP Airways has agreed to ply a 50-seater hopping flight on the Surat-Delhi route following growing corporate presence in the area, subject to early completion of minimum facilities at the airport and minimum volume of traffic.

Talking to The Financial Express, he said a high level team from the civil aviation ministry had just submitted a favourable report. Union minister of state for civil aviation Chamal Lal Gupta during his recent visit to Gujarat had stated that talks were on with UP Airways as well as Jet Air to revive flights from Surat.

Ironically, Surat is the only airport which is owned by Gujarat government, the rest being run by Airport Authority of India (AAI). They are Ahmedabad, Baroda, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Bhuj, Bhavnagar, Kandla, Keshod, Porbandar, Jamnagar and Bhuj (the last two jointly with Indian Air Force).

The compound wall being built by the state government at a cost of Rs 5 crore is nearing completion and so is recarpeting and increasing the length of airstrip from 4,500 to 6,500 feet at a cost of another Rs 15 crore. The present airstrip could allow smaller aircraft which could operate only on hopping flights with refuelling facility.

Gandhi said that UP Airways was now charting out the best possible course available from the alternatives of Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Udaipur and Jaipur on the Surat-Delhi route He was confident that addition of night landing facility would generate more traffic as most corporate people prefer to return to their work place the same night. Nearness to Mumbai (four hours journey by train) was often cited as a major reason for Surat not generating enough traffic. But, a large number of people travel to places far and between Delhi, Lucknow, Calcutta and Chennai via Mumbai.

Gandhi said SGCCI would garner more support starting early flights from Surat during the mega trade and industry fair `Udyog 2000' being held at Surat from February 10 to 14.