Ahmedabad Airport News

Police to file complaint against passenger in airport gold loot case
Ahmedabad Mirror | 21 hours ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
21 hours ago

In the latest development in the gold robbery case at the Ahmedabad airport, police are all set to register a complaint against the complainant himself as he failed to produce bills of the gold he brought from abroad.Mohammed Faisal, a passenger arriving from Riyadh, had lodged a complaint at the airport police station on June 7 claiming that some unidentified persons in guise of Customs officials had robbed him of 100 gm gold and cash. After the arrest of the seven persons in the case, including employees of Namaste G which is the parking contractor company at the airport, the complainant himself has come under suspicion for his possible involvement in a gold smuggling racket.Faizal was received Ahmedabad International Airport by his friend Abdul Ahad early in the morning on June 7. As they were about to board the rickshaw, unidentified persons identified themselves as the Customs officers, robbed them in the rickshaw parking lot.According to Airport police station PI R R Desai, “After the incident, Faizal moved an application alleging that he was robbed of eight gold biscuits. In the preliminary investigation, a person named Hrithik Rathore was identified in the CCTV footage. He was working in Namaste G agency. After the due investigation, the airport police arrested a total of seven people, including six men from Namaste-G agency.”“Faizal, on the other hand, mentioned in the FIR lodged at the airport police station that only one gold biscuit was robbed from him. But airport police have recovered a total of 552 gm of gold from the accused. As the quantity of gold mentioned by the complainant are different, we have asked him to submit bills for the gold biscuits,” the cop said.Meanwhile, Faizal is untraceable after filing the FIR, and he has neither submitted the bills for gold biscuits nor appeared in person. Airport police sources said it could not be ruled out that Faizal was involved in the gold smuggling racket.Deputy Commissioner of Police Zone 4 Mukesh Patel said, “For the last several days, we have been busy with security arrangements for Rath Yatra. The complainant hasn’tsubmitted bills for the gold. Wewill now file a case against Faizalas well.

Police to file complaint against passenger in airport gold loot case
No guts, no story!
Ahmedabad Mirror | 3 days ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
3 days ago

Customs officials at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport had to literally “dig deeper” to recover drugs from a foreign traveller. The officials detained a 30-year-old Nigerian who arrived from Dubai early on Monday morning after he was suspected of carrying drugs. As many as 95 capsules filled with drugs were recovered from his gut.The Customs officials had kept a watch at the international airport on the basis of information that a passenger on an Emirates flight was carrying drugs worth millions of rupees inhis stomach.The officials intercepted the youth and sent him for an X-ray and CT Scan at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, which revealed that the drug consignment was snug and safe in his large intestine.​​​​​​​The man was admitted to the Civil Hospital on Monday, with officials waiting patiently for him to attend nature’s call to recover the 95 capsules.The drug consignment was recovered over four days during the man’s ablutions.The capsules will now be sent for a narco analysis to confirm their content.Officials said the Nigerian landed in Ahmedabad via an Emirates flight. The customs officials following a tip-off lay in wait. They zeroed in on the youth after he acted suspiciously.The accused was questioned and later taken to hospital.Regarding the number of capsules found in the Nigerian’s stomach, the doctors at Civil Hospital had told Customs officials said, “The man must have conducted retrograde insertion (pushing things in the body from the rectum) as it is impossible for anyone to swallow 95 pills each of which was 2.5 inches long and 1 inch wide.”Doctors ruled out surgery as it would have ruptured the intestine and resulted in the death of the accused.Dr Rajnish Patel, Additional Superintendent of Civil Hospital said such capsules can only be taken out through the bowel through defecation. “The youth was given medicines to clean his bowel and the 95 capsules were recovered,” said Patel.

No guts, no story!
Go-First stops operations from Surat
Ahmedabad Mirror | 5 days ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
5 days ago

Go-First Airlines will stop its operations from Surat airport from July 1 to August 11 due to inadequate passenger load. Airport sources said Go-First operates flights from Surat to Pune, Bangalore and Delhi, but inadequate passenger load has forced it to suspend flights and it has stopped accepting bookings for the period.A Go-First official said, “The aviation industry is making strenuous efforts to strike a balance after Covid. At such times it is difficult for any airline (to run) if the passenger load is inadequate. Go-First has decided to temporarily halt operations from Surat. It will recommence operations if there is adequate passenger load.”

Go-First stops operations from Surat
Aviation experts share measures to avert bird hits; what passengers, pilots can do in an emergency
The Indian Express | 1 week ago
The Indian Express
1 week ago

Adding to the recent spate of bird-hit flights, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath‘s chopper made an emergency landing post one such hit right after take-off. Reports state that officials said that a bird hit the window of the Lucknow-bound helicopter after it took off from the airport. Subsequently, the pilot requested an emergency landing and the chopper landed back safely at Varanasi’s Police Lines Ground.Here’s what to know about bird hits and passenger safetyWhile most bird strikes are manageable, the ones considered critical are collisions that happen with a window or windscreen which might crack the structure. In such cases, pilots look to land as soon as possible. Strikes can be of two types – a small bird, and a big bird, or a flock of birds.Such cases are reported during landing and take-off which can also distract the pilot during the most important stages of the flight. According to Colonel Rajgopalan (retired), founder of Aviation Training India, a company which trains and mentors pilots, “Since modern aircrafts are well-equipped with triple modular redundancy (where if one system goes off, other substitutes), minor bird strikes can be handled by pilots in most instances.”Buy Now | Our best subscription plan now has a special priceWhat happens in case of bird activity?An aircraft has to take off at a particular speed which can’t be reduced due to bird activity, explained Colonel Rajgopalan. “Normally, in case of heavy bird activity, Air Traffic Control itself delays the departure and deploys techniques to scare the birds off like using blow guns which are cylinders of gas that make noise due to the air pressure, or shiny metal ribbons that are tied near runways to scare off birds,” he said.Recently, following the incidences of such bird strikes as well as animal hits on airport runways, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) wrote to States to carry out aerodrome inspections to check on wildlife presence in the nearby areas of airports and runways.“We are all aware that during the monsoon season, wildlife (birds and animals) activity increases in and around airports. The presence of wildlife in the airport vicinity poses a serious threat to aircraft operational safety,” the DGCA noted in its letter to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and private airport operators.According to a previous indianexpress.com report, the top five airports which reported the most wildlife strike incidents in 2021 were Delhi (231), Mumbai (140), Ahmedabad (71), Kolkata (70) and Kochi (56).In its letter, the DGCA asked the airports to ensure that within the airport premises, the grass is trimmed and insecticide is sprayed, in addition to conducting frequent runway inspections for bird activities and deploying bird chasers and bird-scaring devices. It also stated that airports must ensure regular garbage disposal in the operational area and to avoid water concentration and open drains.“All airports are requested to review their wildlife hazard management plan for any gap and ensure strict implementation of strategies for wildlife hazard management within and also outside the airfield,” the DGCA said in its letter.Agreed Colonel Rajgopalan and said that bird activity near airports must be reduced. “The old airports have lots of garbage dumps around them where birds congregate. In foreign countries, there is strict law against garbage dumping areas within a particular radius of the airport. But in India, these laws are not being followed. This is the reason why there is a lot of bird activity near an airport or helipad,” the expert told indianexpress.com.What can passengers do in such times?Mark D Martin, MRAeS, member of Royal Aeronautical Society United Kingdom, CEO of Martin Consulting. Martin Consulting which is an aviation safety firm based in Asia, said that passengers “cannot do much”. “Bird hits are a result of man-animal conflicts, and can occur at any time. Here, passenger cannot really help except trying to maintain calm,” he told indianexpress.com.According to Colonel Rajgopalan, passenger should:*Be alert and if they are sitting close to the emergency exit, they should inform the cabin crew of any fire etc.*Fasten their seatbelts until the seat belt sign comes off.*Listen to the instructions of the crew and follow them.What can helipads and airports do?*Helipads should be made where the approach and departure path should be clear.*Helipads should be devoid of dust. “No dust in the helipad because while landing, so much dust gets kicked up. Sometimes, we are not even able to see if there is any small bird coming,” he said.📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates!

Aviation experts share measures to avert bird hits; what passengers, pilots can do in an emergency
Murmu’s vision for India’s development is extraordinary: Modi
Ahmedabad Mirror | 1 week ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
1 week ago

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday praised NDA’s Presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu for her “understanding of the problems on the ground” and dubbed her vision for India’s development as “extraordinary”.The Prime Minister made the remarks after he met Murmu in New Delhi. After Prime Minister, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also met the NDA’s Presidential candidate.Murmu will also be meeting several Union ministers and veteran leaders before filing her nomination for the post of President on Friday.Sharing pictures of his meeting with Murmu on Twitter, Prime Minister Modi wrote, “Met Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji. Her Presidential nomination has been appreciated across India by all sections of society. Her understanding of grassroots problems and vision for India’s development is outstanding.”Murmu, who reached the national capital on Thursday, was welcomed at the Delhi airport by Union Ministers Arjun Munda, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Virendra Kumar, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari and BJP’s national media co-in-charge Sanjay Mayukh. Several other BJP leaders and workers were also present at the airport to welcome her.Murmu on Friday will file her nomination for the Presidential election. Prime Minister Modi, BJP President J.P. Nadda, Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, and Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states will also be present during her nomination.To make the nomination filing a grand event, the BJP has invited its allies as well as Biju Janata Dal, which has announced its support to Murmu, to attend nomination filing.The Opposition parties have declared Yashwant Sinha as their joint candidate. The election for the next President of the country will be held on July 18 while the result will be declared on July 21.

Murmu’s vision for India’s development is extraordinary: Modi
NSG leads mock drill of plane hijack at airport
Ahmedabad Mirror | 1 week ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
1 week ago

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

NSG leads mock drill of plane hijack at airport
  • Mock drill held to test emergency response at Ahmedabad airport

    • The Indian Express

    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.

Airport loot accused had robbed fliers earlier also
Ahmedabad Mirror | 1 week ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
1 week ago

New details have been emerging with each passing day in the case of gold robbery from a passenger at SVP airport even as police investigations have revealed that the accused were allegedly helping passengers to exit the airport with gold and then robbing them. Sources said the accused had robbed other passengers in similar manner on earlier occasions.Probe indicates that the accused were being paid between Rs 80,000 and Rs 1 lakh to get each passenger out of the airport, especially those arriving from Dubai. The police have now zeroed in on details about sources of information about arrival of passengers that the accused got to ensure their safe passage or others whom they had planned to rob the gold bars.Police are investigating the case of Mohammad Faizal who arrived from Riyadh at Ahmedabad airport. Valuables, including gold, worth Rs 5.92 lakh were robbed from him and his friend Abdul Ahad.As per sources, Rutvik Rathod, an employee of Namaste-G agency, that operates the parking lot at the airport, and his accomplice, had robbed some passengers on earlier occasions. During investigation, Rathod was found to be a habitual offender who had been externed in the past for other offences. Rathod and some of his accomplices had earlier helped passengers carrying gold or other contraband from Dubai to get out of the airport with ease.“A man named Shashikant Tiwari used to provide information about passengers to some people working in the Namaste-G agency involved in the robbery case,”said Mukesh Patel, DCP, Zone –4.

Airport loot accused had robbed fliers earlier also
Case of stolen gold, smuggling or connivance?
Ahmedabad Mirror | 1 week ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
1 week ago

The case of a foreign traveller who was robbed by people posing as Customs officers at the Ahmedabad airport is turning murky. Discrepancies have emerged over how many gold biscuits were actually taken from the victim, how many had he mentioned in his application to the police, how many did the police register in its FIR, and finally how many were actually recovered from the arrested accused.In his application to the police, the victim had stated that he was robbed of eight gold biscuits by the impersonators, but the FIR mentions that he was robbed of only one gold biscuit weighing 100 gm. However, as per the police, they have recovered 552 gm gold from the seven accused arrested.Given the multiplicity of the versions by the victim, the accused and the police, only a high level investigation will bring out the truth and expose any shady dealings.Airport police sources said that Mohammed Faizal, originally from UP and working at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, had landed in Ahmedabad on June 7 morning. He cleared immigration, Customs and security and exited Terminal 2 where his friend Abdul Ahad received him.Just as the two were about to board an auto-rickshaw, they were stopped by three men carrying walkie talkies. They claimed to be Customs officers. As per initial information, Faizal was asked to hand over the 2,000 Riyals and one gold biscuit of 100 gm he had concealed in his underwear. They also relieved Ahad of Rs 20,000 and a mobile phone. The two men were then threatened with a 10-year jail sentence before leaving.Faizal had in his application to the airport police stated that he was robbed of eight gold biscuits by the impersonators.Airport police checked the CCTV footage of the area where the robbery took place as well as the auto-rickshaw parking from which Faizal identified one person. During investigation, he turned out to be Rutvik Rathod, who worked for Namaste-G company which handles security at the airport. He was arrested.After interrogation, other employees of Namaste-G, Jitendra Tomar, Prakash Maheriya, Santosh Maurya, Roshan Giri, Keval Vyas and one other person, Shashikant Tiwari, were arrested.Further interrogation revealed that Shashikant Tiwari was going to sell the gold to one Puneet Tiwari in Delhi. Police are yet to track downthe latter.Unanswered questionsTop level sources at the airport said that many questions remain unanswered in the entire matter. If there is a proper, high level inquiry, then apart from robbery, a gold smuggling network could be unearthed.Strangely, Faizal was not caught by the Customs or Immigration at the airport. On the other hand, sources said that the impersonators were tipped off that he was carrying gold.Airport Police Inspector R R Desai said, “We have asked Faizal to submit a bill for the gold biscuit, but he has not submitted it.” It has been 15 days since the incident, but he has still not produced the bill. So, the pertinent question is, whether it was brought in illegally?Inspector Desai said, “In his application, complainant Mohammed Faizal had stated that eight gold biscuits were stolen. However, he said only one biscuit was stolen when the FIR was registered. When we asked him about this, he said that he had exaggerated his claim, so that the police would work faster. However, from Shashikant Tiwari, we recovered 552 gm of gold powder from a plastic bag. We are also investigating the smuggling angle along with the loot.”Sources in the security agency of the airport said, “There is a possibility of gold smuggling in this case.”On their part, Customs sources said, “Faizal was handed an underwear with 8 gold biscuits weighing 116 gms each at Kuwait airport. When he landed in Ahmedabad, photos of him and his passport were shared with the impersonators. On the basis of this, the impersonators stopped and robbed them. They were targeting those who were smuggling gold into the country. A large network can be busted if a high level and thorough investigation takes place.”Meanwhile, 15 days have passed since the incident, but police are saying that the investigation is still underway.Unless a thorough inquiry is carried out, many questions will remain unanswered.

Case of stolen gold, smuggling or connivance?
Glitch at airport: 12 flights delayed
Ahmedabad Mirror | 1 week ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
1 week ago

Twelve flights of different airlines were delayed by about an hour on Tuesday morning due to a technical issue in the in-line baggage system at Ahmedabad airport, which is undergoing several upgrades to provide more facilities to passengers. The system carries passengers’ check-in luggage from the airport to the flight.A source at the airport said, “The in-line baggage system malfunctioned on Tuesday morning.”Mornings are considered peak hours at the domestic terminal when flights to Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Goa and Lucknow operate between 6.35 am and 10 am.According to another airport source, “The conveyor belt of the in-line baggage system was abruptly stopped when passengers deposited their luggage at the airline’s check-in counter. The luggage got stuck, leading to delay in its loading on flights.”An airline official said, “Four flights of Indigo, three flights of Vistara, three flights of GoAir and two flights of SpiceJet were delayed on Tuesday morning. This led to scuffles between passengers and airline staff. Most flights were delayed for 30 minutes to an hour. Some flight passengers even left without taking their luggage.”Another airline official said, “Recently, we had to operate the baggage system manually for a month as the conveyor belt was under repair. Passengers would not have suffered if they had decided to use the stand-alone scanner when the inline baggage system was shut down.”The airlines also complained that they aren’t given any specific explanation for the frequent breakdown of the in-line baggage system.On the other hand, the airport management company had its own version of events. A source from the airport management company told Mirror, “We have often urged the airlines to keep a distance of three feet between luggage pieces on the conveyor belt, but they put it in haphazard manner. This causes problems in the luggage scanner. There was a technical problem with the system for only 15 minutes, but that didn’t bother the passengers.”

Glitch at airport: 12 flights delayed
Explained: Europe flight disruptions – why is baggage piling up at Heathrow, other airports?
The Indian Express | 1 week ago
The Indian Express
1 week ago

A boom in summer travel alongside a severe manpower shortage at airports in Europe is causing a number of inconveniences for passengers, including cancelled flights, long queues leading to missing flights and delayed baggages. Most recently, as per a Bloomberg report, London’s Heathrow Airport, which is one of the worst impacted, asked airlines operating at two of its terminals to cancel 10 per cent of their flights.When the Covid-19 pandemic emerged two years ago and the aviation industry got hit severely, airlines and airports handed pink slips to workers to reduce costs as flights remained grounded for a long time. However, with the pandemic slowly receding, people have started travelling and airlines have started mounting flights. But the airport staff wasn’t hired in line with the growing traffic. This, in addition to several airport and security worker unions at European airports going on a strike seeking better pay, has led to a severe shortage of labour causing disruptions in flight operations.These issues have emerged at some of the top European airport hubs, including London’s Heathrow, Amsterdam’s Schiphol, Brussels airport, Frankfurt airport, and several others. The most visible problem is that of delayed baggage. As a result of labour shortage, passenger luggage is not being loaded into aircraft on time, and several flights are departing without carrying their passengers’ luggage. In addition to this, airports are witnessing long queues that are causing passengers to miss their flights.Yes, while London Heathrow has asked airlines to cancel some of their flights to reduce the load, experts anticipate the situation to get worse in the coming days. “Due to the industrial action and the lack of security agents, no flights will depart from Brussels Airport today, Monday June 20. This case of force majeure makes it impossible to guarantee the safety of passengers and staff. This decision is needed to avoid chaotic situations,” Brussels Airport said Monday.Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport said it was limiting the number of passengers per day to around 70,000 – 13,500 fewer than what airlines have scheduled — on account of the workforce shortage.Even as flights to Europe by Indian carriers have not been cancelled yet, airlines are facing issues with baggage. In a tweet on Sunday, Air India wrote: “Passengers who travelled from London Heathrow by AI130 (to Mumbai) & AI170 (to Amritsar) of 19.06.22 may not get their bags at destination airport in India due to Heathrow Airport Baggage System Failure. Our Heathrow team is working on sending the bags on priority. We request for your understanding”.As of now, Air India operates flights to London from various points in India such as Delhi, Mumbai, Amritsar, Ahmedabad, etc., while Vistara connects Delhi with London and Frankfurt. Air India also flies to other European destinations such as Frankfurt and Paris.Newsletter | Click to get the day’s best explainers in your inbox

Explained: Europe flight disruptions – why is baggage piling up at Heathrow, other airports?
Four ‘wildlife strikes’ daily in 2021; DGCA writes to AAI, pvt operators
The Indian Express | 1 week ago
The Indian Express
1 week ago

NEARLY FOUR “wildlife strike” incidents occurred every day near Indian airports last year, double from a little over two daily incidents in 2016, even as aircraft movement numbers for 2021 remained below the 2016 total, according to data sourced from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Airports Authority of India (AAI).A “wildlife strike” means an aircraft either suffered a bird hit or was disrupted by an animal on the runway during take-off or landing. One landing or take-off is calculated as one aircraft movement.Following two bird hit incidents on Sunday, which forced an IndiGo plane and a SpiceJet aircraft to turn back to their airports of origin, India’s aviation safety regulator has written to all airport operators, asking them to work on managing the threat of wildlife strikes to aircraft.“We are all aware that during the monsoon season, wildlife (birds and animals) activity increases in and around airports. The presence of wildlife in the airport vicinity poses a serious threat to aircraft operational safety,” the DGCA noted in its letter to the AAI and private airport operators on Monday.According to official data, there were 1,453 suspected and confirmed wildlife strike incidents in 2021, up from 839 in 2016. In comparison, the number of aircraft movements was 20.47 lakh in 2021, down from 22.89 lakh in 2016.The top five airports which reported most wildlife strike incidents in 2021 were Delhi (231), Mumbai (140), Ahmedabad (71), Kolkata (70) and Kochi (56).“All airports are requested to review their wildlife hazard management plan for any gap and ensure strict implementation of strategies for wildlife hazard management within and also outside the airfield,” the DGCA said in its letter.On Sunday, an IndiGo A320neo aircraft’s left engine got damaged after suffering a bird hit when it was at an altitude of 1,600 feet after take-off from the Guwahati airport. The pilots declared an emergency and returned to the airport.A Delhi-bound SpiceJet-operated Boeing 737-800 plane also had to make an emergency landing in Patna, minutes after take-off from there, after one of its engines suffered a bird hit.The DGCA has asked the airports to ensure that within the airport premises, grass is trimmed and insecticide is sprayed, in addition to conducting frequent runway inspection for bird activities and deploying bird chasers and bird-scaring devices. It has also asked airports to ensure regular garbage disposal in the operational area and to avoid water concentration and open drains.Airport operators have been asked to convene meetings of the Airport Environment Management Committee (AEMC) to discuss and review implementation of the measures to reduce bird hazard. “Frequent inspection by airport wildlife hazard management team/ AEMC to be carried out for identification of sources of wildlife attraction such as garbage dump, open disposal of abattoir/ butcheries waste, etc,” it has said.

Four ‘wildlife strikes’ daily in 2021; DGCA writes to AAI, pvt operators
Explained: What are bird strikes and how they can affect flights
The Indian Express | 2 weeks ago
The Indian Express
2 weeks ago

Sunday saw at least two bird strike incidents happen — one involving a SpiceJet plane flying Patna-Delhi and the second on an IndiGo aircraft flying Guwahati-Delhi. Following both of these incidents, the aircraft had to return back to their origin airports and were grounded for maintenance.What happened on these flights?An IndiGo A320neo aircraft took off from Guwahati on Sunday morning and its left engine was damaged after suffering a bird hit when it was at an altitude of 1,600 feet. The pilots then declared an emergency and returned back to Guwahati. The aircraft is being held on the ground there for necessary inspections. In the case of the SpiceJet flight on Sunday afternoon, the pilots of a Boeing 737-800 plane suspected a bird strike during the take-off roll but continued to climb. Following the take-off rotation, they were informed by the cabin crew of sparks emanating from the plane’s left engine. Subsequently, the pilots were also informed of smoke coming from one of their aircraft engines by the air traffic control on the ground. This led to pilots declaring an emergency and landing back in Patna.Bird strikes are among the most common threats to aircraft safety, and they typically occur during the take-off or landing phases of a flight. Dozens of bird strike incidents happen each day but some can be more dangerous than others. Typically, when birds will collide with an aircraft’s airframe, it is unlikely to cause significant problems for the pilots flying. But there are cases — like the ones that happened on Sunday — where the aircraft engine ingested the birds causing damage to the power plants. This can lead to a loss of thrust for the engine and cause manoeuvrability problems for the crew. In these cases, where a jet engine ingests a bird, procedures would generally call for pilots to get the plane on the ground at the closest airport. However, while most airframe bird strikes are not considered critical to air safety, if the collision has happened with a window or a windscreen resulting in cracking of the structure, pilots will look to land the plane as early as possible.Smaller planes would generally be more susceptible to the dangers of bird strikes than larger ones. Also, modern jetliners are built with a number of redundancies and common passenger aircraft like Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 are designed to safely land with even a single-engine. However, given that bird strikes mostly happen during take-offs and landings, these incidents could distract the pilots during what are highly critical phases of a flight that demand the complete attention of the crew.Newsletter | Click to get the day’s best explainers in your inboxIn the simplest of terms, the presence of birds around an airfield increases the chances of a bird strike. In monsoons, as water puddles emerge in open grounds attracting insects to breed, it also increases the presence of birds in these regions. In some cases, bird hits also happen at higher altitudes when a plane is cruising. These are more dangerous than the low-altitude hits given that they can cause rapid depressurisation of cabins. Other reasons for bird activity around an airfield could be the presence of landfills or waste disposal sites that attract a large number of birds.For example, in 2019, the Ahmedabad airport saw 11 wildlife strike events every 10,000 flights. One of the key reasons behind this was the dismantling of a large garbage dump in Ahmedabad that was located almost directly in the trajectory of flights approaching the airport, a move that has caused the birds circling the landfill to disperse. The Ministry of Civil Aviation and the DGCA have recognised wildlife strikes, including bird and animal hits, to aircraft as one of the “State Safety Priority”, and the aviation regulator regularly carries out aerodrome inspections that are considered critical with regard to wildlife strikes. Aviation authorities, along with local agencies, work on reducing wildlife presence around airports from time to time.

Explained: What are bird strikes and how they can affect flights
PM Modi arrives in Gujarat for two-day visit
The Indian Express | 2 weeks ago
The Indian Express
2 weeks ago

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at Ahmedabad Airport on a two-day visit to Gujarat, on Friday evening. He was greeted by Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, and Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief C R Paatil along with others at the airport after which he proceeded to Raj Bhavan.The PM is likely to visit his mother, Hiraba, who is entering the 100th year of her life, on Saturday. Hiraba is staying with her youngest son, Pankaj, at Raisan village on the outskirts of Gandhinagar.Although no official announcement of PM Modi’s visit to his mother on her birthday has been made, a close family member said, “Generally, when he (PM Modi) comes to Gujarat, he does visit Hiraba. And when Saturday is her birthday, you can assume he will come.”The family member refused to reveal if they have got an intimation of the PM’s likely visit to his mother.The Modis have also organised a religious and musical programme in their native town of Vadnagar in Mehsana district to celebrate Hiraba’s birthday.Later in the morning, the PM is scheduled to attend events in the Panchmahals and Vadodara districts of Central Gujarat.In Panchmahals, the PM will visit and inaugurate the redeveloped temple of Shree Kalika Mata at Pavagadh Hill, which will be followed by his visit to Virasat Van.Thereafter, he will attend Gujarat Gaurav Abhiyan in Vadodara. From Vadodara, the PM is expected to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of projects worth Rs 21,000 crore.

PM Modi arrives in Gujarat for two-day visit
In election year in Himachal, Modi gets rousing reception in Dharamsala
Ahmedabad Mirror | 2 weeks ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
2 weeks ago

In the election year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reached Himachal Pradesh for the second time in a fortnight on Thursday and got a rousing reception amid the chants of ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’.On arrival at the Gaggal airport, near this town in Kangra district, the abode of Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, he was extended a rousing reception by party workers and sympathisers, some donning traditional dresses, who were awaiting his arrival for several hours. Many women were present en route, waving their hands at the Prime Minister’s arrival.During the roadshow in an open vehicle, donning a Himachali cap, Modi, accompanying Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and state party president Suresh Kashyap, accepted greetings of the people by waving his hand.The onlookers welcomed the Prime Minister by showering rose petals.Ahead of Modi’s visit, a large number of army aspirants staged a protest at the airport against the “Agnipath” scheme of the Union government.In Kangra district, joining the armed forces is a tradition in almost every household as several generations have served the defence services.Prime Minister Modi will be attending a conclave of chief secretaries of states and union territories organised by the Central government here that will culminate on Friday.The focus of the conclave, the first of its kind, will be on key issues of urban governance, education and agriculture, and ensuring coordinated efforts of states.

In election year in Himachal, Modi gets rousing reception in Dharamsala
Ahd to get its 2nd airport at Dholera by June 2024
Times of India | 2 weeks ago
Times of India
2 weeks ago

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.

Ahd to get its 2nd airport at Dholera by June 2024
  • Phase-1 of greenfield airport in Dholera gets CCEA nod

    • The Indian Express

    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.

  • Cabinet nod for development of new greenfield airport in Dholera, Ahmedabad

    • Ahmedabad Mirror

    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.

Cabinet committee approves new airport in Gujarat
The Indian Express | 2 weeks ago
The Indian Express
2 weeks ago

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs Tuesday approved the proposal for the development of Phase-I of a new greenfield airport in Dholera, Gujarat at an estimated cost of Rs 1,305 crore. The construction for the airport will be completed within 48 months, officials said.The airport will also serve as a second airport to Ahmedabad, they added.Notably, the move comes ahead of the assembly elections scheduled in Gujarat this year.The project is being implemented by Dholera International Airport Company Limited (DIACL), which is a joint venture 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.“The New Greenfield Airport at Dholera is situated at an aerial distance of 80 Km from Ahmedabad Airport. The Airport is planned for operationalization from the year 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 cabinet said in a statement.The Union Cabinet also talked about the agreement signed among the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states on cooperation in the field of youth work.“Consequent upon the adoption of the agreement on 17.09.2021 by the member states of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on cooperation in the field of youth work, the agreement was signed by the Hon’ble Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of the Republic of India. The official working language of the SCO Secretariat is Russian and Chinese,” the Cabinet said.“The areas of cooperation further includes training of professional staff in the sphere of work with youth; exchange of scientific, reference and methodological materials, work experience of state bodies, youth public organization, other organizations and associations involved in the implementation of state youth policy and support of youth initiatives; carrying out joint research and activities on various youth policy issues and youth cooperation; exchange of scientific publications, research works on topical issues of preventing youth involvement in destructive structures; promote joint economic and humanitarian initiatives aimed at engaging youth in entrepreneurship and innovative projects to increase their employment and well-being; supporting the activities of the SCO Youth Council,” it added.The Cabinet also approved the proposal for signing of an agreement between the Government of India and the United Nations on a ‘Way Finding Application’ to be used in the Palais des Nations, United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG).“Keeping in view the complexity of buildings and huge participation, there was a requirement of a navigational application which can help the visitors and other delegates in finding their way inside the premises while adhering to all security perspectives.“While the Global Positioning System (GPS) based Apps function in open space, a more precise in-building navigational App will assist the visitors in locating the room and offices,” the Cabinet said.

Cabinet committee approves new airport in Gujarat
Action against loot victim if gold bill not produced
Ahmedabad Mirror | 2 weeks ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
2 weeks ago

Six persons have been arrested by the Airport police for impersonating Customs offi cials and looting a passenger of Rs 5.92 lakh which includes a gold biscuit.On the other hand, a week after the incident, questions such as the bill of purchase for the gold biscuit and how the impersonators knew that the passenger was carrying gold, have remained unanswered.UP resident working in Riyadh since the past 2.5 years, Mohammed Faizal, and his friend Abdul Ahad were stopped by impersonators and looted of Rs 5.92 lakh after the former landed at Ahmedabad international airport on June 7 morning.After an FIR was filed, the police arrested five employees of Namaste-G company which provided services at the airport, and a sixth man named Sashikant Tiwari. The gold biscuit, phones and cash were recovered from them.While the five Namaste-G employees told police that Tiwari used to give them information on which passengers to target, the police are yet to find his source of information. Sources said that police are now looking for a man named Punit Tiwari based in Delhi.Six accused arrestedWhile six accused in the loot case have been arrested, Faizal has not yet produced the bill of purchase for the 100 gm gold biscuit looted from him, said sources.When asked about the action that can be taken on Faizal if he fails to show the bill, inspector R R Desai said it was a matter of investigation. He said, “If the complainant can’t show the bill, then legal action can be taken against him.” On the issue of how Tiwari was targeting passengers, Desai said the investigation is underway.

Action against loot victim if gold bill not produced
Goons try to sell gold bar in Delhi
Ahmedabad Mirror | 3 weeks ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
3 weeks ago

A Delhi-based individual’s name has cropped up in the case of robbing a gold bar from a passenger who arrived at Ahmedabad international airport from Kuwait on June 7. The man has been identified as Punit Tiwari. For now, police are not contemplating visiting Delhi to nab him.Police have already arrested alleged kingpin Shashikant Tiwari apart from five employees of Namaste-G, the parkingcontractor at the airport. These accused are Ritwik Rathod, Jitendra Tomar, Prakash Maheria, Santosh Maurya and Roshan Giri. They had robbed a passenger, Mohammad Shah Faizal and his friend Abdul Ahad, by posing as Custom officials.“Shashikant Tiwari would pass on information to the employees of the parking contractor for targeting the passengers who would later be robbed by the gang posing as Customs officials. The police have recovered a 100 gm gold bar from Tiwari who had recently visited Delhi to negotiate the price of the gold,” said Airport police sources.“Shashikant Tiwari had met Punit Tiwari to sell the gold bar. Police believe he may have sold gold bars to Punit on earlier occasions also after robbing passengers. But such incidents were not reported. We have started the process to arrest Punit in the near future,” the sources said.Police are also inquiring about informants who pass on information to Shahikant about the passengers arriving from foreign countries carrying gold. Meanwhile questions loom large about the verification of staff employed by private contractors that put security of passengers at the airport at stake.On the other hand, police have also asked for the bill from Faizal about the gold he carried with him. Inspector R R Desai was not available for comments and further details about this.

Goons try to sell gold bar in Delhi
Woman used savings to give contract to kill her spouse
Ahmedabad Mirror | 3 weeks ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
3 weeks ago

Though the Airport police have arrested six people in the case where a man returning from Kuwait was robbed within the airport premises, another person named Shashikanth Tiwari was arrested for providing information about passengers to the robbers gang.As per the case details, on June 7 Madhya Pradesh native Mohammad Faisal who works in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia had arrived at Ahmedabad international airport. After coming out of Terminal 2 of the international airport, Faisal and his friend were approached by three unknown persons, who claimed to be Customs officials, and took 2,000 Saudi riyals and 100 gm gold from him. They also took Rs 20,000 from Faisal’s friend. An FIR was registered at the Airport police station after the incident.Police also arrested Sardarnagar resident Roshan Giri, who works at the Namaste-G agency at the airport.Talking to Mirror, Airport PI R S Desai said, “Shashikant Tiwari is unemployed and investigation has revealed that he provided information about passengers whom the gang members would target and rob. We are investigating how Tiwari used to gather information about passengers from the airport. We suspect that the gang has robbed other passengers alsosimilarly.”Four people were arrested in the robbery incident by Friday, Sashikant Tiwari and Roshan Giri were arrested on Saturday.A police official associated with the case said Tiwari’s mobile phone contained details about several passengers. Another accused Ruthik Rathod was earlier caught in a theft case by the Gandhinagar police.When contacted, Alpesh Doshi of Namaste-G said, “Our staff members have been caught in criminal activity. We have submitted details of all our staff members to the police.”

Woman used savings to give contract to kill her spouse
4 posing as customs men rob flier outside airport
Times of India | 3 weeks ago
Times of India
3 weeks ago

AHMEDABAD: Airport police have arrested four men who posed as customs officers and cheated Mohammad Shah Faisal Nazirhasan, a UP resident who arrived in the city from Saudi Arabia, of Rs 5.92 lakh. The four arrested are Rutivik Rathod of Gandhinagar; and Shashikanth alias Sonu Tiwari, Prakash Mehariya, and Santosh Maurya of Ahmedabad. The complainant stated that on June 7 he arrived in the city at about 3.10am. He said that after completing the formalities he came out of the airport. He had a bag containing dry fruits, a couple of mobile phones, and a 100g gold bar. He said another bag had gift articles. Nazirhasan said that as he was trying to board an autorickshaw, he was approached by the three men of whom two had wireless sets. They identified themselves as customs officers. The three then took away the mobile phone which he was carrying. They rummaged through his bags and found the gold bar. Nazirhasan said that the accused even checked the purse of his friend Artbul Ahad and took away Rs 20,000. Nazirhasan said that when his friend objected, the three threatened to file a case which would lead to an imprisonment of 10 years. Since they were scared, Nazirhasan and his friend left the area and did not report the matter to police. Later Nazirhasan approached the authorities and identified the four accused from the airport’s CCTV footage. He lodged a complaint on Friday after which the four were arrested by Airport police. A case has been filed under IPC sections 392 (robbery), 170 (impersonating a public servant), and 114 (abettor present when an offence is committed).

4 posing as customs men rob flier outside airport
Flier clears Customs, but impostors ‘detect’ gold in his underwear!
Ahmedabad Mirror | 3 weeks ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
3 weeks ago

A 27-year-old native of Muzaffarnagar in UP, who landed at Ahmedabad international airport from Kuwait on June 7 at 3 am, was intercepted by three people posing as Customs officers outside Terminal-2. They took away a 100-gram gold biscuit he was carrying and 2000 Saudi Riyal (aroundRs 42,000). The fraudsters also divestedRs 20,000 from the victim’s friend who had come to receive him.Interestingly, the victim Mohammed Shah Faizal Nazimhasan had cleared the Customs and Immigration before he was intercepted by the trio while he was about to board an auto-rickshaw with his friend Abdul Aahad Mohammed Ayyub. Cops have arrested four men in the case, all working with a company at the airport, and are on the lookout for a fifth.The entire incident has raised the question as to how Faizal managed to clear Customs without getting detected for the gold biscuit that he was allegedly carrying in his underwear. Sources said police are baffled that airport employees outside the terminal knew what the complainant was carrying after he had passed the Customs check.As per the FIR, the traveller working in Riyadh for about two-and-half years landed at the airport, cleared Customs and Immigration before he came to Terminal-2 where his friend awaited him.As they were about to board an auto, three men intercepted them and identified themselves as Customs officials. They were in civvies with walkie-talkies in hand. They took the two men to the parking lot and checked them. They found a gold biscuit hidden in the elastic strap of the complainant’s undergarment. They took away the biscuit weighing around 100 gm and the foreign currency from the victim. They also robbed his friend of Rs 20,000. They then asked them to leave the place or face 10 yearsin jail. Frightened, the complainant and his friend left, but returned the next day and filed an application with the Airport police station.Namaste G staff caughtWith the help of CCTV footage, the complainant identified Jeetendra Tomar and Rutvik Rathod, who were later arrested. Tomar works as a supervisor with Namaste G, which looks after the parking facilities at the airport, while Rathod works as a shift in charge with the same company. It has emerged that Rathod has a case of theft registered against him in Gandhinagar.Later during interrogation, the name of Prakash Maheria, another supervisor and Santosh Maurya, a guard with Namaste G, who were part of the set up also emerged. Maurya and Maheria were then arrested by the police. Cops are now hunting for another accused named Shashikant Tiwari who was part of the operation.Tiwari, a resident of Noblenagar is suspected to have been involved in selling off the extorted goods.Inspector RR Desai did not respond to calls.DCP -Zone -4 Mukesh Patel confirmed the incident and said the investigation was on in the case. Police sources said cops have also sought the bill for purchase of the gold biscuit from the complainant.

Flier clears Customs, but impostors ‘detect’ gold in his underwear!
Rs 1,405 crore Rajkot greenfield airport to be operational by 2023
Ahmedabad Mirror | 3 weeks ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
3 weeks ago

To cater to the increasing air traffic in Rajkot, a new greenfield airport will be constructed in the biggest city of Saurashtra by the Airports Authority of India. The airport will be constructed at a cost of Rs 1,405 crore and will be capable of handling 1,800 passengers during peak hours. The airport will be ready for operation by March 2023.Spread over 2,534 acres, the new greenfield airport has been planned with modern facilities and conveniences for the travellers with increased number of counters and other necessary facilities. The location of new airport is approximately 30 km from Rajkot city and on the Rajkot-Ahmedabad highway. The total built-up area of the airport will be 23,000 sq metre excluding the basement.The terminal will be equipped with state-of-the-art passenger facilities, four passenger boarding bridges, three conveyor belts and 20 check-in counters along with modern firefighting and fire alarm system. The airport will have adequate parking facilities for car, taxi and buses along with landscaping. The runway length has been planned at 3,040 m to serve AB-321 type of aircraft. The airport will have enough space to park 14 aircraft at a time.Being located on Rajkot-Ahmedabad highway, this airport will reduce time and cost related to logistics for multiple industries in the region. More importantly, the ceramic industry of Morbi and other industries of Jamnagar also depend on Rajkot for air connectivity.

Rs 1,405 crore Rajkot greenfield airport to be operational by 2023
New airport for Rajkot, int’l flights likely
Times of India | 3 weeks ago
Times of India
3 weeks ago

RAJKOT: A Rs 1,405-crore greenfield airport is being built at Hirasar in Rajkot by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to offer a transportation hub for people traveling abroad from the state, the government-owned AAI said. Currently, passengers boarding international flights travel to Mumbai or Ahmedabad. The new Rajkot airport runway is long enough to handle A321 aircraft type; airlines could offer short and medium-haul flights from Rajkot to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Spread over 2,534 acres, the new airport will be located on the Rajkot-Ahmedabad highway, about 30 kms from Rajkot, the fourth largest city in state of Gujarat. “With total built-up area of 23,000 sqm excluding basement, the terminal building of this new airport will be capable to handle 1,800 passengers during peak hours,” said AAI in a press statement issued on Friday. “The terminal will be equipped with state-of-the-art passenger facilities, four passenger boarding bridges, three conveyor belts and 20 check-in counters along with modern firefighting and fire alarm system,” it said. The runway length is planned to be 3040 m, which will serve for A-321 type of aircraft, said the release adding that the airport will have parking slots for 14 aircraft. The terminal façade design is influenced by the existing palaces of Rajkot such as the Ranjit Vilas Palace. “An outer skin of traditional jalis of palaces will be built to minimize the heat gain inside building,” it added.

New airport for Rajkot, int’l flights likely
Fliers lament lack of basic facilities at Surat airport
Times of India | 3 weeks ago
Times of India
3 weeks ago

SURAT: Frequent fliers from the city airport have been bombarding the social media with lack of basic facilities like wi-fi, clean drinking water and absence of pre-paid taxi service even as expansion work and development projects have been announced, The Airports Authority of India (AAI) recently announced that it is extensively working towards holistic development of this international airport with a project cost of Rs 353 crore. The projects include extension of existing terminal building from 8,474 sq m to 25,520 sq m, expansion of the apron from five parking bays to 18 and construction of a parallel taxi track. After expansion, the terminal building will be capable of handling 1,200 domestic and 500 international passengers during peak hours, taking the annual passenger capacity to 2.6 million. Pallav Bansal, a regular traveller, posted videos and photos on the social media wall of We Work for Working Airport (WWWAS)) around a week ago with a description of a drinking water dispenser giving out coloured water. However, airport officials denied this claim. “Our officials have checked and there are no issues related to coloured drinking water. Clean drinking water is available,” said Aman Saini, airport director, Surat. Around three weeks ago, another traveller Kaushik Das, had raised the issue of non-availability of wi-fi at the airport from his Twitter handle. Surat airport officials responded to him saying they have shared the feedback with the concerned team. However, there is still no working wi-fi at the airport. Sanjay Jain, a member of WWWAS, said, “There are a number of issues related to basic facilities but no proper actions have been taken by the authorities. Due to unavailability of wi-fi many travelers face issues.” Lack of pre-paid taxi service and ATMs is another issue flagge by passengers besides stinking toilets and rude behaviour of staff of different departments. “No required actions have been taken by the airport authorities to install ATMs which are necessary at an international airport. There is no prepaid taxi service as well,” said Linesh Shah, a member of WWWAS. “For wi-fi and pre-paid taxis, contractors are not coming forward despite multiple attempts. We are trying to provide these facilities,” said Saini.

Fliers lament lack of basic facilities at Surat airport
B’desh-Dubai flight makes emergency halt at city airport
Ahmedabad Mirror | 3 weeks ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
3 weeks ago

Air Arabia’s flight from Bangladesh to Dubai had to make an emergency landing at Ahmedabad airport late on Monday night due to a technical glitch. According to airport sources, the flight with approximately 150 passengers had to be routed to Ahmedabad airport in the night because of a technical defect in the engine of the aircraft.“Realising there was a technical snag in the aircraft, the pilot immediately approached the ATC at the SVPI airport as it was the nearest airport,” the source said. The pilot informed them about the snag in the flight, leading to which it was approved for emergency landing by the ATC Ahmedabad.

B’desh-Dubai flight makes emergency halt at city airport

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