(a) whether the Government has received any proposal for operations of private air services from Chakarmatha, Bilaspur, Jagdalpur and Ambikapur districts of Chhattisgarh on regular basis;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has taken any action on this proposal; and
(d) if so, the details thereof along with the time by which private air services from the said districts of Chhattisgarh are likely to start?
Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Dr. Mahesh Sharma)
(a) No, Madam.
(b) & (c) Does not arise.
(d) Scheduled domestic air services in the country has been deregulated. Government has laid down Route Dispersal Guidelines (RDGs) with a view to achieve better regulation of air transport services taking into account the need for air transport services of different regions of the country. It is, however, up to the airlines to provide air services to specific places depending upon the traffic demand and commercial viability. As such the airlines are free to operate anywhere in the country subject to compliance of RDGs issued by the Government.