With security concerns paramount, naval air station base INS Shikra, the erstwhile INS Kunjali, will now control all aircraft operations in South Mumbai.
With security concerns paramount, naval air station base INS Shikra, the erstwhile INS Kunjali, will now control all aircraft operations in South Mumbai.
A Navy official said the decision follows an increase in air traffic, with a few sorties being undertaken every day by organisations like the ONGC and large corporate houses, which use the route to fly to destinations like Alibaug.
The move is significant as the aviation ministry is scouring sites to operate commercial helicopter services from South Mumbai. “If and when the commercial venture takes off, there will be an ATC set-up in place,” said an aviation ministry official.
Speculation is also rife that the Tata group has sought permission from the aviation ministry to use the helipad at Wellington Mews, the service apartments behind the Taj Hotel in Colaba, for guests staying at the hotel. Currently, only Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata is allowed to land his private helicopter here.
The aviation ministry has shortlisted the defunct Mukesh Mills — and over which the defence ministry claims part ownership — as a tentative site for commercial helicopter operations.
Defence ministry officials say the 26/11 terror strike hastened the process of giving Shikra, which only recently was commissioned as a naval base, the role of Air Traffic Control centre.
They said that the base had been carrying out ATC operations for the past 35 years. “We did not insist on official status as the air station earlier had a small establishment. Now, commercial air traffic has increased and a large number of choppers, like Sea Kings, Kamov-28s and Chetaks, are stationed at the base,” said a senior defence official.
“The 26/11 terror attacks brought into focus the fragile security environment in our neighbourhood, which requires the Navy to maintain a high state of preparedness. Shikra was, therefore, asked to man the airspace for any helicopters entering South Mumbai,” the official said.
The location of the air station makes it ideally suited to support ship-borne helicopters of the western fleet, plus it serves their maintenance and training requirements. Also, the proximity of the air station to Bombay High and Saurashtra makes it the preferred site to provide effective air support for protection and security of the national assets.
The air station incidentally served as a crucial operations base for rescue efforts by NSG commandos during the 26/11 terror attack.
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