With Mysuru airport figuring in the list of “unserved” airports notified by the Centre for promotion under its Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) — also called UDAN ( Ude Desh ka Aam Nagarik ) — hopes have soared again on the resumption of flight operations from the heritage city.
According to informed sources, the State government is awaiting Cabinet clearance to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Civil Aviation to finalise the modalities for subsidised air travel from Mysuru to different destinations across the country.
Under UDAN, the willing air operator will have to offer a pre-determined percentage of seats in the aircraft flying on the RCS routes. The subsidised airfare will have to be fixed at the rate of Rs. 2,500 for a one-hour flight, while the cost of flight operations for the operator will be subsidised through viability gap funding under the scheme.
“If the flight duration is taken into account from Mysuru to Bengaluru, the fare will be no more than Rs. 1,700,” an Airports Authority of India (AAI) official said. But, in view of the poor patronage for the Mysuru-Bengaluru sector, the stakeholders engaged in the project are focussing on flight operations from Mysuru to other destinations, including Kochi, Chennai, Goa, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi. The cost incurred on subsidising the air travel will be shared by the Centre and the State government under 80:20 ratio.
Though flight operations in Mysuru are limited to ATR aircraft, with a capacity of 70 passengers, AAI officials said it was possible to fly long-haul flights from Mysuru to Delhi, provided a refuelling station is established at Mysuru airport.
Mysuru Airport Director Manoj Kumar Singh told The Hindu that the issue relating to revival of flight operations from Mysuru under UDAN had been taken up with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is also keen on bringing Mysuru back on the aviation map. Apart from Mysuru airport, the airports in Hubballi and Belagavi will also be expected to become part of the RCS.
The inclusion of Mysuru airport in UDAN scheme comes at a time when the AAI is making efforts to extend the runway from the existing 1,740 metres to 3,300 metres to operate large-sized jumbo aircraft, including Boeing 767, and operate long-haul flights, including international flights.
At present, the airport can handle ATR aircraft with a seating capacity up to 70. When the airport is expanded to operate large-sized aircraft, long-haul flights can take off to different destinations in the country, thereby generating sufficient traffic to make air travel viable for air operators
