*Building to get major expansion
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Nov 6: As the passenger traffic at Srinagar airport has increased beyond 3.5 million, the Government of India today declared it as a major airport.
The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation issued a notification to declare the airport of Srinagar as a major airport under the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority Act-2008.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (i) of section 2 of the Airports Economic Authority Act, 2008 (No. 27 of 2008), the Central Government hereby declares the airport of Srinagar as major airport,” read the notification.
With this move, the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) will determine tariff for aeronautical services at Srinagar airport.
The Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) was set-up to regulate tariffs and other charges (development fee and passenger service fee) for aeronautical services at major airports.
As per Section 13 of the Act, AERA has been mandated to determine the tariff for the aeronautical services rendered at major airports; the amount of the development fees including user development Fee; and the amount of the passengers service fee levied under Rule 88 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937 made under the Aircraft Act, 1934.
Under the AERA, the Centre can designate an airport as a major airport if it has an annual passenger traffic of at least 35 lakhs. The Central Government is also empowered to designate any airport as a major airport through a notification.
For the non-major airports, these tariffs are determined by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), which is a body under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Srinagar Airport Director Kuldeep Singh described it a major development which will in the long run lead to building more capacity at the Airport.
Singh told Excelsior that as the passenger traffic has increased tremendously, the airport building is getting major expansion to handle more passengers.
He said that the present terminal building was designed in 2008-2009 to handle 950 passengers in a peak hour but for next two decades. “However, we are now having 1700 passengers in a peak hour which is beyond the capacity of the building. We are now starting construction on a new building at the cost of Rs 1500 Crore. The work on the building will start by April-May next year. It will handle 2300 passengers in a peak hour”, he added.
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