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Government to buy six aircraft, support regional airline projects

The aviation ministry proposes to purchase six "combi type" convertible aircraft to carry cargo and passengers, Civil Aviation Minister Ananth Kumar said in Bangalore today.

The aviation ministry had cleared proposals to start regional airline services by some state governments. He urged the Karnataka government to follow suit.

He said the ministry was ready to invest Rs 500 million for the joint venture and the willing state would have to contribute an equal share to start the regional air service.

Kumar said to begin with, the Karnataka government could buy three 20- or 50-seater aircraft and start feeder service on the Bangalore-Hubli-Belgaum sector.

He said he was willing to finalise the Mysore airport project within 15 days if the state government was willing to hand over 238 acres of land to the ministry. The technical feasibility report for the project has been already completed.

He said the Rs 10 million Mangalore airport terminal project was on in full swing and would be inaugurated on October 1, the instrument landing system installed at a cost of Rs 35 million would also be commissioned there. He said once the new runway with night landing facility was established there, it would be one of the closest gatewayS to the United Arab Emirates, especially to Sharjah.

UNI