New Model of Himachal’s Development

Prof N.K. Singh

Former Chairman, International Airports Authority of India

Assign high priority to air connectivity vis a vis road model of transport

Himachal has three airports and a few helipads in the name of aviation connectivity. The state should give up lethargic approach to seeking funds from the Central government and depending on the spoon fed model. There is a lot of scope of finding resources once we have the nature and landscape to sell for eco-friendly usage. For last ten years, I have been reading about the state rushing to Centre for money, for airports, and for air flights. But the result is minimal and hardly enough to cater to the needs of tourists and citizen needs. We have to understand that the fight for funds is competitive arena where all states are trying to amass as much as possible. Miniature size of the state commands hardly enough mileage to score adequate attention and weightage especially when the larger states have bigger and costlier issues. In national perspective, we have not enough capacity to pull ropes. The fight must be won not on muscle of numbers but creativity and imagination. I would therefore suggest an approach that can work provided we have enough political will.

First let us underline our priority and limitations. Our logistics are difficult hilly terrain and poor modern well maintained network of roads. We have enough of road transport but it is time consuming and not economical or luxuriously suitable to international tourism. We should forget total reliance on road transport as air gives us efficient and quick mode to connect the state with its own areas as well with rest of the world. Another neighboring country Nepal has similar terrain and logistics. They too suffer from the deficient financial resources. Nepal has 45 airports and some of these just strips like roads and not even paved.

Smaller planes can easily land and these days due to possibility of GPS landing not much of costly equipment of airports is needed. Himachal should construct at least four to six such airports in areas selected by experts to connect the entire state for tourists and other traffic. All airports, about 10, should be available for landing in day time for small planes. We should invite offer from private sector players as to who are interested in running a small air company which will be given support and facilities by the Himachal government.

We should get the investment from private sector from big players including hoteliers who can bid for hotel-cum-airport complex. This model will give us cheap efficient and high speed transport for development of the state. I remember after publication of my book on Masrur temple, many big players were interested. One such party was to come but their air flight to Gaggal was cancelled and they never came. Celebrates and important business tycoons need connectivity that is comfortable and is not drain on their time merely in travelling.

I made presentation of this airport project model to former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal who showed keen interest. But by that time his term was over and in the next government, except Vidya Stokes, no one evinced interest in the development project.

It must be remembered that India is developing aviation in a big way.Plans are afoot to develop it fast as 546 planes have been ordered by different airlines. By 2022, more than 50 million passenger air traffic is expected in India which will make it world’s largest growing aviation market. India is also developing a passenger plane that will be ready by middle of this year and will give a boost to aviation effort in regions. Our effort should be to grab the opportunities by large scale involvement of private sector. Otherwise paucity of funds will keep it stuck like the existing marshes in which we are marooned. There is no need to run to the Centre all the time with a begging bowl provided we use our intellectual and imaginative plans to work out alternative fund raising and development effort. Co-founder of Apple rightly remarked that  Indian MBAs are excellent in hard work but do not show creativity. Himachal has abundant resources but it needs creative planning and delivery of projects.

                        (To be continued)

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