Mumbai: Tourism in Konkan, known for its serene beauty, will get a huge boost as the Parule Chipi Airport in Sindhudurg district will start its operations soon. The first ‘test flight’ at the airport will land on September 12.
According to an official in the civil aviation ministry, the work for the 2,500 metres runway has been completed and the terminal building is also ready. With a 2,500-metre-long runway, the airport will have a capacity to handle 200 departing and 200 arriving passengers during peak hours.
Once functional, Sindhudurg will be Maharashtra’s 14th airport. At present, it has three functional international and 13 domestic airports.
“Civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu has asked the Airport Management Company and the state government to immediately solve the pending issues so as to begin regular operations soon. Mr Prabhu had a constant follow-up and had directed officers to assist in early compliance,” said the official from the civil aviation ministry.
The official further said the ‘obstacle limitation survey’ has been completed and the work for the 2,500 metres runway has also been completed. Besides, the terminal building for 400 passengers is ready and the construction of the ATC tow-er is nearing completi-on. The airport is being constructed by the IRB Sindhudurg Airport on a design-build-finance-operate-transfer basis for the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation.
According to aviation ministry officials, airports at Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri will not only provide better connectivity but also boost tourism in this scenic area.
