State plans to develop airstrips of erstwhile royals Read more: State plans to develop airstrips of erstwhile royals - The Times of India

AHMEDABAD: In order to promote intra-state aviation, the state government is planning to develop unused airfields set up by erstwhile princely states during the pre-independence era.

The state civil aviation department has already identified eight such airfields and is in the process of acquiring land to re-develop abandoned aviation infrastructure. Erstwhile princely states, including Wankaner, Wadhvan, Radhanpur, Limdi and Dhangdhra, used to have operational airfields till 1950. The British officials frequently used airfields in Chaadbet and Khavda in Kutch as well as Khambhalia airstrip in Jamnagar.

"These airfields have been out of use for the past five decades. Though they are no longer in use, the state aviation department would not to go through lengthy procedures to get licences and other permissions including environment clearances. Besides, we will get a readymade base and can create infrastructure at much faster pace," said an official in the state aviation department.

"An airfield was prepared post Independence near Wadhvan, which is situated on Surendranagar-Rajkot highway," said Chaitanyadevsinh Jhala, 65, of Wadhvan's royal family. Jhala used to travel from Mumbai to Wadhvan at the age of five with his father.

"Regular flights used to come at Wankaner," recalls septuagenarian Digvijaysinh Jhala of Wankaner's royal family. "Ambica Airliner, a company was instrumental for connecting Saurashtra and Mumbai," said Jhala.

According to him, the airfield near Kutch highway was abandoned after independence and presently is under cultivation. Of the 17 airports in Gujarat, nine are managed by Airports Authority of India (AAI). The AAI airports include Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot, Surat, Porbander, Bhavnagar, Kandla, Keshod and Disha. Three airports including Amreli, Mahesana and Mandvi are controlled by Gujarat government. Jamnagar, Bhuj and Nalia airports are under Indian Air Force, while Mundra and Mithapur are own by private players — Adani Group and Tata Group respectively. Gujarat State Aviation Infrastructure Company Limited (GUJSAIL) is the nodal agency for development airfields like Palitana, Mandavi, Morbi, Rajkot, Ankleshwar, Parsoli, Rajpipala and Ambaji.

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