New airport demanded at Kandla

Rajkot: The industries in Kutch district have demanded a new airport considering the rapid industrialization and future requirements.
The Federation of Kutch Industries Association (FOKIA) submitted a memorandum to the state government seeking a new airport at Kandla stating that the district attracted an investment of Rs 1.5 lakh crore after he 2001 earthquake of 2001.Nearly two decades after the catastrophe, the district was on the cusp of a second industrial revolution and is expected to attract investment of Rs 5 lakh crore in the next 10 years.
According to FOKIA, to keep pace with the industrial development Kutch required a good airport with a better flight frequency connecting major cities. For that, the relocation and expansion of the Kandla airport was needed. The industrial association suggested that the new airport should be set up considering the requirements for the next 50 years. The Kandla airport was built in 1960 on 268 acres of land with a 1,524-meter airstrip.
Nimish Phadke, managing director of FOKIA said, “In 2014 we had appraised the govt on the need to expand the Kandla airport. The AAI had requested land from the state government. The govt had identified a parcel of land but it could not be allocated because of land requirements for industrial development and residential use.” He added, “DPA (Deendayal Port Authority) holds a significant parcel of land which falls under the ministry of shipping and it can make available 600 acres.”
The new airport should be able to accommodate bigger aircraft and facilitate night operation too, the industrial body demand.
Kutch houses Kandla Port and the Mundra Port which have a planned to double their cargo handling by 2027.