Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam   

Flights cancelled for 5th day at Vizag airport

Special Correspondent

ILS to be ready by March, says Union Minister

VISAKHAPATNAM: As the thick smog engulfing Visakhapatnam led to cancellation of flight operations for the fifth consecutive day on Wednesday, Union Minister of State for Mines T. Subbirami Reddy has given an assurance that the problem would be solved once the Instrument Landing System (ILS) is operational at the airport in the first week of March.

Night landing

If the ILS and night landing facilities are operational, which are put up in the new runway that has been laid for a distance of 10,000 feet -- that is much longer than the existing 6,500 feet -- wide-bodied aircraft could land with ease even if the visibility is 800 metres.

The ILS is already ready and the nod of the Director General Civil Aviation is required before it is put to use.

Dr. Subbirami Reddy, in a press release, said he held discussions with Airport Authority of India Limited Chairman K. Ramalingam on the issue in New Delhi wherein he was assured that the ILS and other facilities would be operational by March.

As nine flights, including four to Hyderabad, being operated from the city by four air carriers are being affected, business class passengers, making urgent trips due to unforeseen events and medical emergencies are the worst-hit.

RTC services

To cope with the sudden rush of air passengers who prefer the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation buses to reach the airports, the RTC is operating luxury or Volvo coaches to Hyderabad, Tirupati and Chennai for the last few days.

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