Dehradun: A high-level review meeting of the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Department was held on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan. The meeting focused on assessing the current status of air services, as well as the progress in airport and airstrip construction and expansion projects across the state.
During the session, the District Magistrates of Dehradun and Udham Singh Nagar provided updates on the ongoing development works at Dehradun’s Jolly Grant Airport and Pantnagar Airport, respectively. Emphasizing the importance of timely execution, the Chief Secretary directed both district officials to prioritize and expedite the pending works. He particularly instructed the District Magistrate of Udham Singh Nagar to swiftly clear the acquired land and proceed with the next phases of development.
In a separate review of the Pithoragarh Airport, Chief Secretary Bardhan instructed the District Magistrate of Pithoragarh to prepare a structured operational plan to ensure regular functioning of the airport. He also suggested that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) be involved through deputation for effective management, while supporting staff may be recruited via outsourcing.
To facilitate the expansion of Pithoragarh Airport, the Chief Secretary directed that the load-bearing capacity of the proposed tunnel be assessed by IIT Roorkee or another credible technical institution.
Further, Director General of Civil Aviation (UKADA) Sonika was instructed to prepare a comprehensive presentation outlining the status of current projects and future plans for enhancing air connectivity in the state for discussion in the next review meeting.
The meeting was attended in person by Civil Aviation Secretary Sachin Kurve, Director General UKADA Sonika, and Dehradun District Magistrate Savin Bansal. The District Magistrates of Udham Singh Nagar and Pithoragarh participated virtually.
