PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has requested the Union government to formulate a separate aviation policy for the mountainous states of the country. He said that the policy should include provisions such as special financial assistance, subsidy for operations, suitable air traffic control (ATC) network for mountainous areas, accurate weather forecast, slotting and pre-disaster preparedness. He was addressing the Civil Aviation Conference-2025 here on Friday.
In the meeting Dhami also requested that all operators should provide special training to pilots for flights in mountainous areas, strict adherence to safety standards and ensure the safety of passengers.
He said that this conference is a direct proof of the historic progress being made by the civil aviation sector of the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Dhami said that the UDAN scheme has not only connected small cities and remote areas with air connectivity and has strengthened the local economy but has also made air travel accessible to the common citizens.
The CM informed the audience that18 heliports are being developed in Uttarakhand, out of which services have started on 12 heliports. He said that heli services have become not only a means of transport but also a lifeline for a mountainous State like Uttarakhand. “Be it disaster management, health services or pilgrimage, helicopter services have provided unprecedented convenience in these areas,’’ he said.
The Union Civil Aviation minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, cabinet minister of Uttar Pradesh Suresh Kumar Khanna, cabinet minister of Rajasthan Gautam Kumar, cabinet minister of Haryana Vipul Goyal, chief secretary of Uttarakhand Anand Bardhan and others attended the programme.
