news details |
|
|
| In shambles, Rajouri airport resembles a meadow | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
RAJOURI, Apr 20: In shambles, the abandoned Rajouri airport is in its most wretched state. Its runway is broken and the sprawling ground resembles a large meadow as a thick blanket of grass has covered it everywhere. Abandoned more than a decade back, it is now a place for stray cattle.
The border district had air service when airbus "Wahidoot" operated between Rajouri-Jammu, Rajouri-Srinagar and Rajouri-Delhi till August 1990 when it was stopped due to security reasons.The airport lacked even X-ray machines to check belongings of passengers. As militancy was at its peak in the district that time, the flight was discontinued in 1990 to avoid the chances of hijacking, official sources said.
The air service from the district was started in April 1988 on the directions of the then civil aviation minister Moti Lal Vohra at the instance of Ghulam Nabi Azad when some local Congress leaders had called on him in New Delhi.
Wahidoot operated thrice a week and the air fare was Rs 130 for Jammu and Srinagar, and Rs 1,000 for Delhi. It had a capacity of 12 persons.
The contract for management and supervision of the flight was given to the local 'Dhodha Dhari Travel Agency' which had constructed its ticket counter in the premises of the Rane Hawaie Patti, ie Rajouri airport.
The agency had also constructed passenger sheds at the airport. The flight was discontinued in 1990 due to the sudden spurt in militant activities in the border district.
Interestingly, the Wahidoot pilot had once lost way in June 1990 and entered Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). The flight was, however, sent back by the PoK administration.After about a month and a half of this incident, the service was stopped.
General Manager of Dhodha Dhari Travel Agency, Vinod Mahajan said militancy was the main reason behind the discontinuation of the air service.
He said the airport lacked all basic amenities and did not have even X-ray machines. The pilot also faced problems in route identification as the area that time was out of control of radar in Jammu.
Vinod said the service was very successful as there used to be advance booking by the people.He said the situation had now improved in the district and the union government must take steps to resume it for the convenience of the people.
He said with the opening of the Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, which had over 50 per cent staff from outside Rajouri, the flight could be more successful now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
