Novel runway to double up for road traffic

NEW DELHI: An airport where the airstrip can double up as runway for flights and for road traffic is being constructed in Rajasthan.

Mentioning about the construction of such an airport in Rajasthan, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said similar projects are being planned in Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and some other border districts. According to him, an airport is being built in Rajasthan that would also have national highways' cement concrete road. When the road is closed, aeroplanes can land and takeoff from there. Then road traffic can resume, Gadkari said here last night. In hilly areas like, “Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tripura and border districts where there are dif- ficulties, we are working with the Defence authorities and have identified sites for making such airports,” Gadkari said. The government is working on ways to boost regional air connectivity in the country. In new civil aviation policy, the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) has been mooted that provides for various concessions to airlines. Under the scheme, air ticket prices would be capped at Rs 2,500 for onehour flights on unserved and under-served routes.

There are 394 unserved and 16 underserved airports in the country. As part of the RCS, the government plans to provide a Viability Gap Funding, which would be financed through the Regional Connectivity Fund (RCF).