Discontinuing of the air service has discouraged entrepreneurs: BCCI
Belgaum is the second largest exporter of industrial products in the State
A delegation of the Belgaum Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCCI), has submitted a memorandum to Minister for Civil Aviation Praful Patel requesting him to restart air service between Belgaum and Mumbai at the earliest. Many entrepreneurs had put on hold their plans to invest in Belgaum as the city lacked proper connectivity, discontinuing of the air service to Mumbai had only discouraged entrepreneurs further.
How could the Government expect entrepreneurs to invest in the city without providing them services such as air connectivity?
The BCCI said that airline companies had plans to expand their fleet. In such a situation, aircraft maintenance and service facilities at Mumbai and Bangalore might not be able to cater to the growing needs. Besides this, maintenance and servicing of aircraft had become expensive in metros. In addition, space available at airports in such cities for additional hangars and maintenance workshops was less, the BCCI said. As a result, majorities of airline operators were considering shifting their maintenance and servicing facilities to small cities (such as Belgaum), it said.
Belgaum had the potential to meet the requirements of airline operators, the BCCI said and added that nearly 4,000 persons could get jobs if such facilities were started here.
A friend of mine who came in from Dubai could not come to Belgaum directly as no flight was available, he had to go to Hubli and then come to Belgaum by car. Many people like who have come in from abroad for a holiday face the same problem. So its not only businessmen but also the public at large how is affected. He also added that reaching Belgaum takes more time than flying from Dubai to Mumbai.
The BCCI has done its job, now a follow up is very essential in this case as normally promises made are not kept. The people of Belgaum should get a flight to Mumbai, as the AirDeccan(Now Kingfisher Red) had stopped its Belgaum Mumbai flight on March 30 sighting under occupancy. I also urge and request the MPs,MLAs,MLCs to take keen interest in this issue and see that we have a direct flight.
Source The Hindu
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