Planes sit on the tarmac at Sonari airport. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Jamshedpur, Jan. 29: The steel city will have to wait for some more time before private airliner Air Deccan starts its services between Jamshedpur and Calcutta.

The proposed service has got stuck as the Airport Authority of India (AAI), which functions under the Union civil aviation ministry, has asked Tata Steel, which owns the airport here, to pay an annual fee of Rs 25 lakh for positioning its staff and maintenance of equipment at the Air Traffic Control (ATC).

Sources at Air Deccan headquarters in Bangalore said they have completed necessary groundwork for launching the service, while Tata Steel has set up the necessary infrastructure, such as construction of terminal building (for accommodating passengers), ticketing and parking arena.

The steel major, it is learnt, has taken up the issue with AAI.

“When the Union government cannot set up an airport, it should promote the initiative of Tata Steel to throw open its airport for operating public flights. We are hopeful that things would be sorted out soon and the flight will take off in couple of months,” said an official of Air Deccan.

Managing director of Air Deccan Capt. G.R. Gopinath told The Telegraph over phone from Bangalore that once Tata Steel gets the licence to operate flights for public use, they would be able to provide aircraft between Jamshedpur and Calcutta route.

“We are waiting for the licence. Tata Steel has given permission in writing to Air Deccan to use its airport, a copy of which has been sent to the civil aviation department,” he said.

Pratosh Gupta, a senior Tata Steel strategy department official, looking after the infrastructure development at the Sonari airport said discussion is on with AAI and Air Deccan for the launch of the service.

“We do not want things to get delayed. Efforts are being made to sort it out at the earliest,” he said, adding that apart from the Rs 25 lakh issue, talks are on with the state government for adequate security at the airport.

AAI authorities based in Ranchi confirmed that an annual fee of Rs 25 lakh had been asked from Tata Steel to meet the expenses towards positioning of staff, providing them accommodation, maintaining of equipment at the ATC and providing communication, navigation and surveillance facility.

“As the airport at Sonari is a private one, owned and managed by Tata Steel, it would have to pay the necessary expenses,” said A.V. Krishnan, a senior AAI official.