Uttarakhand High Court on Thursday sought a reply from the Centre on its plans for starting commercial flight operations from Pithoragarh’s Naini Saini Airport.
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari and Justice Vivek Bharti asked the aviation secretary, along with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) chief, to file a reply within four weeks, explaining how flights will operate from the airport and what plans they have about starting operations in the future.
The direction was issued on a PIL regarding non-operation of commercial flights from the airport.
Pithoragarh resident Rajesh Pandey had filed the PIL before the high court saying the airport was built in 1991 for authorised use and the Dornier 228 sortie flying machine was ready for operation. But, till now, commercial flights have not begun operation from the airport.
Flights are being operated from Naini Saini Airport only on paper, the PIL alleged, claiming the situation on the ground is the opposite.
It added that flight operations from the airport were started several times in the past but were stopped shortly after.
The absence of air connectivity in the border district is acutely felt during the rainy season when the roads get damaged and traffic is disrupted for long periods, it alleged.
