GREENFIELD SINDHUDURG AIRPORT INAUGURATED IN MAHARASHTRA

GREENFIELD SINDHUDURG AIRPORT INAUGURATED IN MAHARASHTRA

Context:

Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, the Union Minister of Civil Aviation, virtually inaugurated the greenfield Sindhudurg airport in Maharashtra recently.

Key Highlights:

• The airport is inaugurated under the RCS-UDAN (Regional Connectivity Scheme – Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik) scheme of the Government of India.
• The minister also flagged off the 1st flight from the airport, taking off from Sindhudurg to Mumbai.
• The airline M/S Alliance Air was allocated the Sindhudurg – Mumbai route under the UDAN 3.1. This is the airline's 75th UDAN route in operation. Alliance Air will fly the route with its 70-seater ATR 72-600 aircraft.

Significance of Sindhudurg Airport:

• It increases connectivity to Mumbai.
• The runway is 2500 metres long (8202 feet) and can accommodate narrow-body aircraft such as the Airbus A-320 and Boeing B-737.
• During peak hours, the airport terminal complex can handle 400 passengers overall.
• People may now travel with ease from Sindhudurg to Mumbai in an 85-minute flight, whereas previously, people were forced to travel by road or train, a journey of more than 10 hours.

Greenfield Sindhudurg Airport:

• It is commonly known as Chipi Airport.
• It is located in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district.
• The airport covers a total area of 275 hectares.