Civil Aviation Ministry Secretary Rajiv Nayan Choubey has asked the airport operator, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), to explore the possibility of providing space for helicopters within the Delhi airports, so that direct connectivity can be provided to air travellers.
It takes almost the same time to fly to Delhi from other metro cities and to travel on road from one spot to the other within the National Capital Region (NCR). Considering the size of the region as well as its traffic problems, the Centre is now exploring the possibility for air travellers to avail helicopter services from the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) to satellite cities such as Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad.
Civil Aviation Ministry Secretary Rajiv Nayan Choubey has asked the airport operator, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), to explore the possibility of providing space for helicopters within the Delhi airports, so that direct connectivity can be provided to air travellers. The move will help commuters bypass the cumbersome traffic congestion and reach their respective destinations within a much shorter time.
If successful, the plan will be replicated in three other metropolitan cities — Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata.
"This will be a big relief for frequent flyers as many of them complain about missing their flights due to traffic chaos," a source in the Ministry of Civil Aviation said. These choppers could also be used as air ambulances, and hospitals and patients could avail the facility on a regular basis. The service will particularly facilitate swifter organ transfer, as compared to green corridor. "A Detailed Project Report is being prepared and accordingly, changes will be made in building bylaws, wherein rooftop helipads might also be included," the source added.
Initially, however, the Centre will use unattended helipads in these satellite cities.
In July this year, a study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) had revealed that there were no "non-peak hours" in Delhi anymore as there was almost no difference in the time taken to travel during peak and non-peak hours. The CSE had carried out the study on 13 arterial roads for 12 hours daily. It stated that on an average, the morning and evening peak traffic speeds were 28 kmph and 25 kmph, and the off-peak speed was 27 kmph.
Expansion plan
Possibility to avail services from IGIA to satellite cities like Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad, Ghaziabad
If successful, the plan will be replicated in three other cities — Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata
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