Jewar airport: Civil aviation asks for survey to study area

Jewar airport: Civil aviation asks for survey to study area

The Uttar Pradesh civil aviation department director Devendra Swarup on Saturday directed the Yamuna expressway industrial development authority (Yeida) to conduct an obstacle limitation survey (OLS) for establishment of an international airport at Jewar in Greater Noida.

The state government had sent a proposal to the Centre in April 2016 expressing its desire to set up the airport. It wants the airport in Jewar as it could fuel realty sector along the 165-km Yamuna expressway.

“I have received a letter from Devendra Swarup to conduct a survey and submit the report. We will hold a meeting with a team of officials to carry out the survey. We may hire a private agency for the job if required,” said Amarnath Upadhyay, additional chief executive officer (ACEO), Yeida.

“In the OLS, the authority will list details of overhead electricity lines, high-rises and wildlife habitat etc. at the site where the airport is proposed. We have already earmarked 5,000 acres for the project along the Yamuna expressway,” said Upadhyay.

The Union ministry of civil aviation has asked the Uttar Pradesh government to send a fresh feasibility study and OLS report on the project. Member of Parliament (MP) in the Rajya Sabha, Surendra Nagar, had demanded a reply from the ministry on the progress of the project, in the monsoon session of the Parliament.

The civil aviation ministry has replied to the Nagar through a letter saying that as per provisions of the Greenfield airport policy, 2008, the state’s proposal was forwarded to the Airport Authority of India (AAI), the director general of civil aviation (DGCV) and the Union ministry of defence for their comments.

“In five months, the civil aviation department has not obtained clearances from the steering committee and no objection certificate from the defence ministry to expedite the project. It shows that the Centre is not serious about this project and is merely doing politics by writing letters to the state government,” said Nagar, the former MP from Gautam Budh Nagar.

“The Centre would have got work started at site in (the past) two and half years if it was serious,” he added.

After becoming the Union minister of state for civil aviation, present Gautam Budh Nagar MP Dr Mahesh Sharma   Dr. Mahesh Sharma had on November 11, 2014, said that getting an airport built at Jewar was a priority.

When asked about the same now, he said, “The state should send a fresh feasibility report on it. I do not know about the latest status and delay of the project.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/noida/jewar-airport-civil-aviation-asks-for-survey-to-study-area/story-JWaoF8nKSQVaD0w8Di7g9H.html