A mock drill of a purported plane hijack was conducted by National Security Guards (NSG) and other security agencies at Ahmedabad airport on Wednesday.Sources said, to check the emergency response of personnel, a full-scale drill was organised at SVPI airport between 11 am and 1 pm. A terrorist group had hijacked a SpiceJet aircraft and landed it in an open space. Soon after, a blast occurred in an aircraft model resulting in fire, which was extinguished by the fire personnel. NSG, CISF and local police participated in the drill.More than 600 members of airport staff, city police, fire brigade and ambulances from 3 hospitals took part. The exercise was carried out at a time when the aircraft was not flying so as not to disrupt day-to-day operations of the airport. AM
A mock drill was conducted at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad to test the emergency response protocol from 11 am to 1 pm on Wednesday.According to a source, the drill was a full-scale emergency exercise to deal with the aircraft, and record the response time of the crew. “Such exercises are mandatory and happen almost every month to revise the protocol,” a source told this paper.The exercise was carried out during the “no-aircraft movement” period, said a statement from Adani Group which runs the airport. This was to ensure that no disruption occurred to the normal operation of the airport.“An artificial aircraft was prepared based on Airbus A320 passenger aircraft — the most common aircraft in use. It was about handling an issue of hydraulic failure in the engine, due to which an emergency landing was made, followed by a crash,” said Om Jadeja, Divisional Fire Officer at Ahmedabad Fire & Emergency Services (AFES), who was part of the drill.“This continued effort is to remind and ensure all agencies and team members are sensitised about their role in times of emergency,” said the Adani group, which manages the Ahmedabad airport, in a statement.As per Jadeja, during the exercise, two dispatch units, each from Naroda and Shahpur fire stations, were sent to the “crash site”. One contingency task force was deployed containing 25 firefighters at work, and it took 14 minutes torespond in the shortest time from the Shahpur station, which is the nearest, according to him.“Over 600 airport staff including the fire service, city police, nearby city fire brigades and ambulance crews from three hospitals were involved in the exercise. To ensure no disruption to the airport’s normal operations, the exercise was carried out during no aircraft movement period,” said the Adani statement.According to Jadeja, over 30 vehicles were at disposal, six from Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation fire department, 18 from the police department, six ambulances and vehicles from other governmental agencies.
Ahmedabad will get its second airport by June 2024 at Dholera. The PM Modi-headed cabinet committee on economic affairs approved the proposal to develop phase-I of a greenfield airport 80 km from Ahmedabad at an estimated cost of Rs 1,305 crore. Catering to nearby regions too, the airport will get multi modal connectivity through a six-lane expressway, rapid transport system, broad gauge railway line and a dedicated freight corridor under the PM Gati Shakti programme, Union I&B minister Anurag Singh Thakur said Tuesday. "The project has got environmental and security clearance. The defence and home ministries have also given their nod to the airport that will come up in 1,501 hectares (about 3,709 acres). In the first phase that will be ready in 48 months, the airport will handle 3 lakh passengers and 20,000 tonnes cargo annually. There is adequate land for expansion under second and third phases as well as increasing runway length," Thakur said. About 40% of phase one cost will be met via equity and the balance through debt, Thakur said. The project will be implemented by Dholera International Airport Company Ltd, a JV of Airports Authority of India that will have 51% stake in it; government of Gujarat with 33% stake and National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust with the remaining 16% stake. "The new greenfield airport at Dholera is situated at an aerial distance of 80 km from Ahmedabad Airport. The airport is planned for operationalisation from 2025-26 and initial passenger traffic is estimated to be 3 lakh passengers per annum, expected to grow to 23 lakh over a period of 20 years. The annual cargo traffic is also estimated from the year 2025-26 at 20,000 tonne, which would increase to 2,73,000 tonne over a period of 20 years," the government statement added. Dholera Airport is to get Passenger and Cargo traffic from Dholera Special Investment Region and is expected to become a major cargo hub to serve this industrial belt.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Tuesday approved the proposal for development of phase-1of a greenfield airport at Dholera, Gujarat, at an estimated cost of Rs 1,305 crore within48 months. The airport, situated at an aerial distance of 80 km from Ahmedabad Airport, is planned to be operational 2025-26 onwards. Around 3 lakh passengers are expected to fly to and from the airport per year, which is expected to grow to touch 23 lakh in the following two decades. “The annual cargo traffic is also estimated from the year 2025-26 at 20,000 tonne, which would increase to 2,73,000 tonne over a period of 20 years,” a government statement said.The project is being implemented by Dholera International Airport Company Limited (DIACL), which is a joint venture company comprising the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the Government of Gujarat (GoG) and the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) — all holding equity in 51:33:16 ratio.The Cabinet, according to the statement, was also apprised of the agreement signed among member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, on cooperation in the field of youth work. The areas of cooperation include cooperation in the field of work with youth and public youth organisations (associations) implementing state youth policy, as well as support initiatives aimed at enhancing international youth cooperation. The Cabinet also approved the proposal for signing of an agreement between India and the United Nations for a wayfinding app to be used in the Palais des Nations, United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG).The $2-million project for developing the wayfinding app was conceptualised as a donation from India to the UN on the world body’s 75th anniversary in 2020. The estimated financial implication for development deployment and maintenance of the App is $ 2 Million.Meanwhile, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs also approved a moratorium of three years (2020-21, 21-22 & 22-23) to Cochin Port Authority (CoPA) towards repayment of the balance outstanding central loans amounting to Rs 446.83 crore to tide over thefinancial crisis. The amount was to be repaid in 10 installments beginning 2018-19, the statement said, but the port authority could not make the payments 2020-21 onwards as traffic was badly impacted due to the Covidpandemic.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Tuesday approved the proposal for development of Phase I of new greenfield airport at Dholera, Gujarat at an estimated cost of Rs 1,305 crore, to be completed within 48 months.The CCEA was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Addressing a press conference about cabinet decision, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said, “Union cabinet approves development of phase I of new greenfield airport at Dholera. The Dholera International Airport Company Ltd will construct it and 1,501 hectares of land made available for this.”“Initial passenger traffic is estimated to be three lakh passengers per annum, expected to grow to 23 lakh over a period of 20 years. The annual cargo traffic is also estimated from the year 2025-26 at 20,000 tonne, which would increase to 2.73 lakh tonne over a period of 20 years,” Thakur said.The project is being implemented by Dholera International Airport Company Limited (DIACL), which is a Joint Venture Company comprising Airports Authority of India (AAI), Government of Gujarat (GoG) and National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) holding equity in the ratio of 51:33:16.Dholera Airport is to get Passenger and Cargo traffic from Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR) and is expected to become a major cargo hub to serve the industrial region. This Airport will also cater to the nearby region and serve as a second airport to Ahmedabad.The New Greenfield Airport at Dholera is situated at an aerial distance of 80 kilometres from Ahmedabad Airport. The Airport is planned for operationalisation from the year 2025-26.