Aurangabad, Jan 5:
The long wait for starting the International Air Cargo (IAC) service from Chikalthana Airport does not seem to cease. The reason is the lack of assurance and basic data of the daily cargo volume to be transported from the industries to the Airport Authority of India (AAI) and the airline operators.
AAI claimed that all the facilities are available at the Airport for starting the IAC, but the industries are not providing the volume of goods of various categories to be transported and the assurance of the mentioned quantity on daily basis.
Ont the other hand, the industry claimed that there cannot be specific and exact data of the volume of cargo that can be made available daily for transportation. Moreover, the excise department has the information of the goods transported for import and export, and based on that a daily cargo volume can be estimated. There is a grave need to start the facility first and it can be regularized in the continuity. Hence, the issue of cargo data is proving a real bone of contention for starting IAC.
The new terminal building at Chikalthana Airport has all the facilities for starting the International flights from here. Moreover, the Haj flights are operated from the city every year. The old terminal building was transformed into the Cargo building on June 1, 2016 and all the facilities required for starting IAC are available here. It was expected that the cargo service will be started soon. However, the proposal of International Cargo has been hampered since 2016.
Presently, the domestic cargo service is available at the Airport, but the goods are transported in passenger flights and not through dedicated freight flights. Automobile, engineering, Agriculture, medicines are transported. However, perishable goods like vegetables, fruits, food products need quick air transportation. Hence, the industrialists, farmers, and traders had been demanding IAC for the past several years.
Industries have not provided data and assurance
Several meetings were organised with the industries and were suggested to provide data of the daily cargo that can be transported from the airport daily. The airlines also want the assurance of the availability of the cargo so that they can schedule the flights. However, the industries have not provided any data either to AAI or the airlines. All the facilities for IAC are available at the Airport except the food and drug controller from the union government required for transporting medicines. It is being persuaded.
- D G Salve, Airport Director
Need to start IAC facility first
The basic data of the import and export goods is available with the excise department. Based on that an estimate can be done of the daily cargo. There is a need to start the IAC service first and then the related issues can be resolved gradually. Perishable goods like agricultural products need quick transportation and AIC can prove a crucial means of transportation for it. The government has provided special provisions for IAC for the North East states, this policy can be implemented for Aurangabad also.
- Ashish Garde, Past President, Chamber of Marathwada Industries and Association (CMIA)