Surat Airport to be ready by October: AAI

After failing to stick to the earlier deadline of July, the Airport Authority of India has now shown readiness to start flights from Surat Airport by October.

A meeting was held between Surat Collector Pankaj Joshi and AAI's Additional General Manager (Western Region) M G Jhungare, on Wednesday, to review the progress made at the Surat airport.

The meeting was also attended by representatives of The Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and other government departments.

During the meeting, Jhungare informed the collector that out of the total Budgetary allocation of Rs 52 crore for the Surat Airport, works accounting for expenditure of Rs 35 crore, had already been initiated.

Jhungare said that a lot of progress has been made as far as setting up a proper infrastructure at Surat Airport, is concerned. The repair work of the terminal building has been completed and other basic facilities set up.

The AAI official also informed the meet that the current infrastructure and facilities at Surat Airport are more than adequate for starting air services using 48-seater or smaller aircraft. He said that the runway at the airport is strong enough for safe landing and take-off of 48-seater or smaller planes.

With regards to the night landing facility and strengthening and widening of the runway, so that it could handle bigger aircraft, Jhungare said that work on the runway could be carried out even after the air services from the airport commenced.

If AAI officials are to be believed, air services from Surat Airport would start from October 24, as Air Deccan would start it's services on the Mumbai-Surat-Bhavnagar route from the same day.