Saturday 09, 2021 |PNS| Dehradun
The Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia has announced 18 new routes for helicopter services in Uttarakhand during the inauguration of the new terminal building of Dehradun airport. He also flagged off helicopter services for seven new routes in the state. Scindia and Union minister of State for Civil Aviation VK Singh along with chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also flagged off the helicopter services for three out of seven new routes. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has proposed to build a new terminal building in Dehradun airport covering 42,776 square metres area. In phase one of constructing the new terminal building, a terminal building of 28,729 square metres has been built at the cost of Rs 325 crore.
Scindia also inaugurated the new terminal building along with Singh. He said that the whole area of the new terminal building is planned to be built about 10 times the size of the old one. It will be capable of handling 1,200 passengers during peak hour compared to the usual capacity of 250 passengers. He said that the whole project will cost Rs 457 crore and Dehradun airport will be developed to international standards. He also said that Uttarakhand has everything to attract tourism and civil aviation are two sides of the same coin in today’s world that contribute to the economic progress of the state. He also said that in the past seven years, Dehradun has been connected to seven cities under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Scindia also announced 18 new routes in Uttarakhand for helicopter services under Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme. Dhami also stated on the occasion that the state government has decreased VAT on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) from 20 to two per cent so that more companies providing helicopter services will approach Uttarakhand contributing to the tourism in the state. He said that the state will progress in aerial connectivity in the future and will continue to grow with the help of the central government.
