IAF to allow some bases for civilian flights

The defence ministry had given an in-principle nod to allow the use of some of the Indian Air Force (IAF) bases by civilian domestic carriers at peak flying hours, KN Srivastava, joint secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, said today.

"Hopefully, the Hindon air force base would be the first one from where the commercial aircraft would take off," Srivastava said.

The move is aimed at easing congestion during peak hours at Delhi where air traffic movement during peak hours has increased to nearly 60 flights every hour after the boom in the civil aviation sector in recent times.

He said the Airport Authority of India (AAI) and private airport developers would invest Rs 36,000 crore to develop six new and 50 smaller airports in the next four years in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Bihar and the North-East.

"While the AAI would invest Rs 12,000 crore from internal accruals, the private developers would invest the remaining Rs 24,000 crore," he said.

A committee, headed by Planning Commission member Anwar Hoda, will also suggest measures to establish rail linkages from airports in 10 cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune, the official said.