In a major leap forward, Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir will soon get a full-fledged Airport facility with provision for Aircraft landing and taking off, for which, an upgraded Airstrip will accordingly be constructed adjacent to the Chaugan ground in the city.
This was disclosed here today by Union MoS Dr Jitendra Singh, after presiding over a joint meeting of senior officers of J&K State Government and Defence Forces to sort out the nitty-gritties and other related aspects of the issue.
The meeting was arranged by MoS Defence Dr Subhash Ramrao Bhamre and also attended by Sh Sunil Sharma, Minister of State (I/C) Transport, Jammu and Kashmir.
The State Government was represented by Chief Secretary Sh Bharat Bhushan Vyas and Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Sh Rohit Kansal through video conferencing, while those physically present at the meeting included Sh Dheeraj Gupta Principal Secretary (Coordination) Government of Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Mandeep Bhandari former Divisional Commissioner Jammu and ShAngrez Singh Rana Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that in the next few days, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed between the Government of Jammu and Kashmir and Defence authorities wherein an Airstrip will be constructed and maintained by Government of Jammu and Kashmir, and the extra piece of land required for construction of this strip will be made available from the land currently under the possession of the Army. The airstrip that will come up, he said, will be for joint use of landing of Aircrafts and taking off, both by the civilian authorities as well as the Indian Army.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, with the development of a full-fledged Airstrip at Kishtwar, the town will get round-the-year facility for landing and taking off of Aircraft and even though, the operation of commercial flights may not be possible in the very near future, but there will be certain and definite provisions for landing of State Aircrafts, Chartered aircrafts and operation of emergency flights.
