HP fast tracks Mandi airport project

In order to fast track the newly sanctioned airport project in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, the state CM has sought ₹2,000-crore special purpose grant to construct the international airport. In a recent meeting with Finance Commission Chairman N K Singh, the CM informed that the Airports Authority of India has already completed a technical survey related to limitation surfaces at Nagchala in the Mandi district and discussions are on for construction of the airport which could accommodate wide-bodied aircraft. The CM also requested state-specific grants for infrastructure development in various sectors including construction and expansion of the rail lines. He informed that the state is vulnerable to natural disasters such as flash floods, cloudbursts, forest fires, droughts, cold waves and avalanches, and, therefore, there is a need to enhance the size of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and requested that it be funded 100 percent by the Central government.