Ranchi, April 4: Chief minister Arjun Munda has approved a proposal for setting up an airport at Gamharia, less than 20km from the steel city, in Seraikela-Kharsawan district.
Munda cleared the proposal last evening after going through a feasibility study conducted about a month ago by the Seraikela-Kharsawan administration, aided by the Tatas. The proposed airport to be developed by Tata Steel will come up at Sapra in Gamharia block, about 14km from Jamshedpur.
The airport will be spread in a 528-acre area, of which around 40 acres are raiyati (private) and the remaining government land. The airport will attract an investment of about Rs 400 crore. The length of the runway will be approximately 10,000ft.
Civil aviation secretary V.K. Singh confirmed the chief minister’s go-ahead to the proposal for setting up a greenfield airport, adding it would boost air travel in the region.
At present, only Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi operates service flights.
Jamshedpur has an airport at Sonari but it is owned privately by the Tatas.
The feasibility study said that Jamshedpur, the nearest city to the proposed airport, was the richest zone in Jharkhand with strong market potential. The study also said the place is highly urbanised zone, unlike other districts.
“Jamshedpur is a cosmopolitan city with people from across the country,” adding that it boasts rare quality granite, which offered major trade opportunities.
The steel city has a population of around 11 lakh and includes notified areas of Jamshedpur, Mango and Adityapur, Jugsalai municipality and a few villages in Jamshedpur Urban Agglomeration (JUA). JUA is spread over East Singhbhum and Saraikela-Kharsawan districts.
Jamshedpur is connected with rail routes, with roughly 8,720 passengers travelling to and from Tatanagar station daily. The rail links connect cities like Calcutta, Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai, with around 1,490 passengers who opt for upper classes forming a potential target for air travel.
With the current dependence on Birsa Munda Airport, flyers from the steel city have to cover 120km by road to reach the state capital for boarding flights to New Delhi, Mumbai or Patna.
The feasibility study further found that nearly 560 residents of Jamshedpur either landed or took off from Calcutta airport every day. From Jamshedpur to Calcutta, the air travellers had to use the train route, as there is no other alternative.
If the airport is set up and flights are run from Gamharia to various cities, especially Delhi, many travellers are expected to get on-board.
“Now, a formal proposal will be sent to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), urging it to set up the airport at Gamharia,” said Singh.
During a recent visit to the steel city, the chief minister had stressed the need for a bigger airport in close proximity to Jamshedpur. Tata Steel managing director H.M. Nerurkar had also made an announcement about the airport during a New Year ceremony.
The existing airport at Sonari does not fulfil Directorate General of Civil Aviation norms to allow take-off and landing of bigger aircraft.
In February, an AAI team from Calcutta had visited the site of the proposed airport.
Sources in the civil aviation department said a Swedish consultant had advised alterations to the runways of the airport due to an obstruction caused by a chimney of Adhunik Alloys and Power Limited close by.
