Rourkela: Lack of coordination between various Central ministries has only increased the plight of the Rourkela airport . Flight cancellations are now a routine affair with passengers suffering. The installation of the instrument landing system (ILS) remains a distant dream despite assurances from various quarters. Failure of the Odisha government to provide land to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for installation of the ILS has turned out to be the greatest hurdle. The airport area has been leased out to SAIL by the Odisha government. To provide the land to AAI, the Odisha government first has to acquire the land from SAIL again.
However, it is not happening due to various technical issues. Only after the Ministry of Steel (as SAIL is a state-run organisation) provides land to the Odisha government, then only the latter can transfer the same to Ministry of Civil Aviation. The Ministry of Civil Aviation will then provide the land to AAI for installation of the ILS.
Despite numerous correspondences between the two ministries and the Odisha government the original process is yet to begin. The neat result is that there is no end to the plight of the passengers. Sundargarh MP Jual Oram, in a letter dated December 14, 2023, to Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister of both Civil Aviation and Steel highlighted the problem the Rourkela Airport is facing due to the absence of an ILS. He had highlighted the issue of land acquisition and had asked the minister to expedite the matter as Scindia heads both ministries.
Replying to Oram, Scindia in another letter dated January 3, 2024, stated, “I am informed that due to non-availability of adequate land, night landing facility at Rourkela Airport does not appear to be feasible at present.
However, AAI may consider the feasibility of installation of lLS at the airport if a proposal is received from the airport operator (SAIL).” However, now the ball is in Scindia’s court as he also heads the Ministry of Steel. He can expedite the process of land transfer by asking SAIL to take up the process on an immediate basis. Till that happens, the installation of the ILS will continue to languish in files.