LAHDC to convey resentment on inadequate flights, inordinate delay in airport expansion

Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 22: The Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, which is arriving in Leh on June 26, is all set to face strong resentment from the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council and Ladakh Travel and Trade Alliance over ‘discrimination’ with the region in operating adequate number of flights and inordinate delay in the expansion of Leh airport.
Sources told EXCELSIOR that the Consultative Committee headed by the Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Ajeet Kumar and comprising Minister of State, K C Venugopal, 16 Members of Lok Sabha and 17 Members of Rajya Sabha is reaching Leh on June 26 for two-day visit. Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Rajiv Shukla is also arriving as a special invitee of the Consultative Committee.
Besides holding its meeting on June 27, the Committee will interact with the LAHDC, district administration and Ladakh Travel and Trade Alliance, which is the representative body of tour operators, taxi operators and hoteliers.
Both the LAHDC and Ladakh Travel & Trade Alliance have decided to convey their resentment to the visiting Consultative Committee on the neglect of the region, sources said. They have decided to vociferously take up the issue of increasing the number of flights to Leh from Union Capital, Jammu and Srinagar on the ground that inadequate air operations have been hitting hard the tourism activities, which are otherwise backbone of the region’s economy.
At present seven flights are operating between Delhi and Leh every day while as there are only two flights from Jammu (on Monday and Friday) and one from Srinagar (on Wednesday) in a week, sources informed, adding due to inadequate number of flights the fare becomes beyond the reach of the common tourists during the summer.
During the peak tourist season, the fare of flights from Delhi to Leh reaches Rs 30,000, which is almost equivalent to the fare of Delhi-Singapore and Delhi-London flights, sources said, adding “due to sky rocketing fare during summer months large number of intending tourists stay away from the Leh and give setback to tourism activities in the region”.
In response to a question, they said that earlier even Kingfisher was operating its flights but due to closure of its operations Leh’s tourism has suffered immensely. At present, only Jet Airways, GoAir and Air India have been operating their flights in the region and LAHDC as well as Ladakh Travel & Trade Alliance will lay stress on the Consultative Committee and Union Minister of Civil Aviation to encourage more aviation companies to launch air operations to Leh.
Sources informed that Hill Council has also decided to vociferously raise the issue of inordinate delay in the expansion of Leh airport and urge the Consultative Committee as well as Civil Aviation Ministry to get the work started on war footing basis.
“Funds for the terminal building at Leh Airport were sanctioned when Ghulam Nabi Azad was Minister for Civil Aviation but till date the work has not been taken up at the required pace”, they informed, adding “the delay is notwithstanding the fact that land dispute with the Air Force was sorted out about two years back”.
They disclosed that Hill Council has also made up mind to impress upon the Civil Aviation Ministry to sanction alternate airport so that Leh will have separate Army and civil airports. The LAHDC has already identified huge chunk of land between Basgo and Likir, which is about 40 kilometers from the Leh town, sources added.

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