By: Ibni Maqbool
Srinagar: The department-related parliamentary standing committee on commerce has recommended to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to allot required land to the Customs department at Srinagar airport for constructing an air cargo complex.
In its report, a copy of which is in possession of The Precious Kashmir, the parliamentary panel has recommended that the required land should be allotted to the Customs department on a priority basis at Srinagar airport for constructing an air cargo complex.
“The committee recommends that the Airports Authority of India should ensure promptitude in completing the construction work at the airport within a reasonable time frame. It exhorts that the required land should be allotted to the Custom department on a priority basis which would provide unhindered transition of air cargo from Srinagar since the exports from the region comprises goods of extreme perishability such as apples, apricots and other horticulture and floriculture items,” reads the report.
The committee also said that it is of the considered view that an optimal framework should be devised to undertake collaborative efforts by both Customs department and Airports Authority of India to make Srinagar as an air cargo export hub of the region.
In its visit to Jammu & Kashmir earlier this year, the committee visited the Air Cargo Complex at Bishamber Nagar, Srinagar to have an overview of air cargo infrastructure.
“While interacting with officials of the Custom Department, it learnt that the cargo complex is at a considerable distance of 15 kilometers from the airport of Srinagar. This results into undue delay in exports due to custom facilitations and examination of the export cargo at a faraway distance from the airport. The officials, therefore, urged that a dedicated space at the airport may be allotted to the Custom department on an immediate basis which would be used for constructing an air cargo complex,” reads the report,
However, according to the report, the Airports Authority of India submitted that the required space to Custom department would be allotted only after the completion of new constructions which may take considerable time (up to 3 years).
The committee said a dedicated space, previously used by the defunct Jet Airways, was allotted to the Custom department by AAI on a short term basis after its intervention.
