Aviation Minister Raju inspects Bastar Airstrip

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju on Friday inspected the Airstrip at Maoist hotbed Bastar in Chhattisgarh and discussed with senior civil and security officials to start commercial air services from Jagdalpur.

Minister along with Union Civil Aviation Secretary Rajeev Narayan Choubey inspected the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organization) controlled airstrip at Jagdalpur, the divisional headquarters of Bastar region and also discussed about the security arrangements before the Centre take a decision to start any commercial air services, official sources told Millennium Post.

The Union Minister also discussed about the viability of a commercial service and the required infrastructure to start any such services, the sources said adding Chhattisgarh administration gave a presentation before the Union Minister about the prospect of the commercial air services.

National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) is coming up with a steel plant near Jagdalpur and that would be followed by ancillary industries, and all those people will be depending on this airstrip, Bastar district Collector Amit Kataria said.

Since the area is also close to Odisha border, people from across the border will also use this route to fly out from the area, Kataria said adding the state government was also taking steps to develop infrastructure in and around the area to cater to the need of commercial flight services.

The Union Minister told the officials after construction of the terminal building and other essential infrastructures air services from this Jagdalpur airstrip could be started. Raju also assured all assistance from the Centre to the state for a smooth start of commercial services.