Question : AIR CONNECTIVITY

(a) whether the Government proposes to provide air connectivity to various small citics/remote and backward areas/tourist destinations/religious places in the country especially Nashik and Shirdi in Maharashtra;

(b) if so. I he details thereof along with the locations identified for the purpose, State/UT- wise including Uttar Pradesh and the time-frame fixed in this regard;

(c) whether the Government has received proposals fro mvarious States for introduction of new flights from their States to other parts of the country during the last three years and the current year;

(d) if so, the details of the proposals received by the Government during the said period, State- wise along with the action taken thereon;

(e) whether deregulation of operations of flights in domestic sector has led to lesser development in certain areas of the country and if so, the steps taken by the Government in this regard; and (1) the details of the proposed airport projects and ongoing airport projects in Uttar Pradesh along with their present status?

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Dr Mahesh Sharma)

(a) As per approved winter schedule 2014, scheduled domestic air services are available to/from 77 airports of the country which includes various small cities/remote/backward areas/ tourist destinations/religious places in the country. Government has laid down Route Dispersal Guidelines (RDGs) with a view to achieve better air transport services of different regions of the country. However, at present there is no schedule domestic air services to/from Nashik and Shirdi. It is therefore up to the airlines to provide air services to specific places depending upo the traffic demand and commercial viability.

(b) State/ UT wise air connectivity, including Uttar Pradesh as per winter schedule 2014 is placed at Annexure-1.

The airlines are free to operate anywhere in the country subject to compliance of RDG issued by government.

(c) & (d) Requests from various States/LTs have been received to enhance connectivity. These requests are from Punjab, Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Nagaland, Assam, Puducherry, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Tripura. These requests are forwarded to domestic airlines, who decide their operation based on commercial viability and Government has no role except to ensure compliance of RDGs.

(e) No, Madam.

(f) The Government of India lias already granted ’in principle’ approval to state Government of Uttar Pradesh for setting up of Greenfield airport at Kushinagar. Government of Uttar Pradesh, who is also the promoter of the airport project, had envisaged implementation of the Kushinagar airport project through the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode and accordingly thev had issued Request for Proposal (RFP).