Bengaluru airport is busiest in South, clocks 22.5 percent growth
With an overall growth of 22.5 per cent in 2016, Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) continues to be the busiest airport in South India. In 2016, KIA had 22.18 million passengers. KIA also witnessed the highest single day traffic with 75,515 passengers on December 21. This was the highest since KIA started operations in 2008. Also, air traffic movement increased by 19.9 per cent, with the airport now connecting 45 airlines to 66 destinations in India and abroad. The airport saw a record-breaking two million passengers travelling in November 2016 and an all-time monthly high of 2.15 million passengers in December 2016 – the single highest traffic in a month for any airport in South India. Earlier in the year, KIA had reached the landmark of welcoming its 100 millionth passenger in 2016. Cargo movement saw a 9.4 per cent growth in 2016. G V Sanjay Reddy, Managing Director, KIA, said, “It was another strong year for us at the airport. Despite many challenges, we have grown exponentially in terms of passenger traffic. Our cargo business has seen an incremental growth which reaffirms our growth strategy to develop our airport as the cargo hub of South India,” he said. In 2016, the total cargo was 3,14,060 million tonnage compared to 2,87,198 in 2015. Keenan Allen Jersey
Chandigarh:Limited watch hours at international airport may hit 70 per cent civil operations, fear officials
Around 70 per cent of the civil operations at Chandigarh International airport may be affected if the Indian Air Force (IAF) launches runway upgrade work by limiting the watch hours to between 5am-1pm. Airport Authority officials also believe that two international flights operating from Chandigarh Airport could also see a temporary closure as it is “impossible” to get slots in Dubai and Sharjah, as per the feasibility of the Chandigarh airport. Air Traffic Control (ATC) at the Chandigarh Air Force Station had recently issued a letter to all the commercial airlines operating from Chandigarh that the ATC anticipates starting the work for resurfacing, extension and widening of the runway and taxi tracks on the Chandigarh airfield from the month of April. The letter had said that the runway would remain open for commercial airlines only between 5 am till 1 pm during the resurfacing work. The letter was, however, later withdrawn. Last week, the Central government gave an assurance to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, saying that there would be no curtailment of flight operations at the airport because of re-carpeting of the runway in the months of March and April. A senior Airport Authority of India official told Chandigarh Newsline on Wednesday that if the IAF comes up with the same plans and limits the watch hours, the decision would hit the airport’s operations badly. “They have given assurance in the court. But, if in the coming days they come up with such a plan again, the AAI won’t agree to it as it would cause huge inconvenience to the general public. Several flights won’t agree to operate at the airport within those limited hours,” said the official. He added that two international flights are unlikely to operate, as it won’t be easy to get the slots in Dubai and Sharjah. Cortez Kennedy Jersey
On Govt table: Plan to name, rename airports after cities, not people
The government is considering a proposal to rename existing airports as well as future greenfield airports after cities and not personalities, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha has told The Indian Express. He said the proposal of naming airports after cities is being examined by the government and a final view in this regard is expected be taken. “That matter is under investigation. We are evaluating how best to deal with that issue,” Sinha said when asked about the government’s view on naming airports after cities, instead of naming them after personalities. Sources said that internal deliberations have been held on this matter and a view has emerged that the names of airports should be only after cities. The ministry also discussed the idea of renaming existing airports after cities but it is not clear whether a final decision has been arrived at in this regard. The ministry had last year examined the proposal to name the airports by the name of the city in which they are located. This was discussed in light of perceived inconvenience caused to passengers and foreign tourists who may not be familiar with Indian personalities. The government has so far not released any official policy in this regard. A set of policy guidelines with regard to naming of airports are likely to be finalised after these are cleared by the Union Cabinet. The terminals of the airports can be allowed to be named after eminent personalities, as suggested by the respective state governments, sources said. Blake Bortles Womens Jersey
More firms will participate in NMIA project bid: Cidco MD
Cidco is positive that more firms would participate in the bid for the development of its ambitious Navi Mumbai International Airport project, a senior development authority official has said. The bid closes on February 13 and already two extensions have been given for the same. “In the last two bids only one out of the four who had qualified in the first round has submitted the papers. Hence there was a need for the third extension which closes on February 13,” Cidco, managing director, Bhushan Gagrani, told reporters today. “The developers have discussed the matter with the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary and we are hopeful that this time more than two bids will be there. If there is only one bid then the government has to take a call on the same,” said Gagrani. He said development of the infrastructure on the plots for the project affected has been moving on a fast pace and should be ready by May 2017. The allotment of plots to all the affected has been completed, he said and added that the project affected have been accommodated in ten villages. Joe Theismann Authentic Jersey
Delays in new aircraft addition to hit IndiGo’s expansion plan
Delays in adding new aircraft to its fleet have led IndiGo to push back plans of more flights to Gulf countries and Southeast Asia, marking the first such deferment in the expansion of its overseas network by India’s biggest commercial airline by market share. The Gurgaon-based airline, which is seeking to add Qatar and Sharjah to its list of destinations, has told the Civil Aviation Ministry in a letter last month that proposed route additions will be deferred by at least a month. Delays in inducting new aircraft have led the company to postpone the plans, according to the letter seen by ET. “IndiGo is, however, unable to commence operations to Sharjah and Doha and on the Kozhikode-Muscat route in the month of March 2017 as delivery of four aircraft scheduled for the month of March 2017 is now falling toward end-March 2017early April 2017, such that these aircraft will be able to enter into service progressively only by mid-April 2017. As such, IndiGo will be in a position to commence flights on India-Sharjah and India-Doha routes… and KozhikodeMuscat route progressively only be tween 1st April and 15th April 2017,“ IndiGo’s letter dated January 24 says. Jaylon Smith Authentic Jersey
‘Infra projects hang fire, Rs 1,000cr dues pending’
The Telangana government’s decision to tighten purse strings, post-demonetisation, has adversely impacted contractors who had taken up irrigation, road and other infrastructure works in the state. Addressing the gathering at the National Academy of Construction (NAC) campus on Wednesday , contractors sa id that dues worth a staggering Rs 1,000 crore have piled up over the last three years. The event was held to discuss the issue under the aegis of the Telangana chapter of the Builders’ Association of India (BAI), a body of engineering construction contractors. “When the TRS came to power in 2014, the chief mi nister had sanctioned a hu ge amount of money for in frastructure projects, all of which were kicked off at the same time. After demo netisation, it is contractors from Panchayat Raj and R&B who have been worst hit as we are not able to get loans from banks for these projects, after exhausting all our funds. To complete works, we need costly concrete machinery , tippers and other advanced equipment, which can’t be procured without ample funds,” said Soma Srinivas Reddy , Nalgonda chairman of BAI. According to B Sugunakar Rao, state chairman of BAI, while the state government had officially stopped giving them monthly payments since November, 2016, certain pending bills from as early as April and May , 2016, ha ve still not been clea red.”While the go vernment wants to de velop Hyderabad into a global city, it isn’t re leasing funds for the same. The state government has to release funds on a monthly basis and they have stopped doing so from as early as April last year. Not only are we unable to procure equipment to complete works, we are not even in a position to pay workers’ salaries. We need the CM to address contractors’ concerns at the earliest,” said Rao.Members of the association have now decided to wait till February 15, before taking further action. “If all payments are not made, all sanctioned projects will be hampered and will come to a standstill,” Rao warned. Ron Francis Womens Jersey
Compensation for Land Acquisition for NHs
Instructions have been issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to all the agencies implementing the National Highways (NHs) Projects that the amount of compensation for acquisition of land for NHs projects is determined in consonance with the First Schedule to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, with effect from 01st January, 2015. As per section 3G(5) of the National Highways Act, 1956, if the amount determined by the competent authority is not acceptable to either of the parties, the amount shall, on an application by either of the parties, be determined by the arbitrator to be appointed by the Central Government. Matt Prater Jersey
Big utilities try to tilt solar energy market in their favor
Indiana’s energy utilities want state lawmakers to pass a law that critics say would muscle out smaller companies from the emerging solar energy market. Solar power provides only about 1 percent of the country’s energy, but it is growing rapidly, with U.S. Energy Department figures showing solar industry employment grew 125 percent since 2010. Much of the growth has come from homeowners or businesses taking advantage of its bill-lowering potential. That could eventually eat away at the business of the big utilities — in Indiana Duke Energy, Vectren and Indiana Michigan Power — which have a powerful voice and donate handsomely to political campaigns. Indiana legislators started debate Thursday on a proposed law that in five years would eliminate much of the financial benefit Indiana homeowners, businesses, schools and even some churches reap harvesting the sun’s rays. Republican state Sen. Brandt Hershman’s bill would overhaul a practice called “net metering,” which allows solar panel owners to feed excess energy into the power grid in exchange for a credit on their power bill. Hershman’s bill would lock in a substantially lower rate of reimbursement than what is currently guaranteed — a move that solar advocates say would make it difficult to break even during the useful life of a solar panel. “I have nothing against solar. I’m simply trying to reset the marketplace,” said Hershman, who says solar panel owners are reimbursed at too-generous of a rate. But the measure comes as investor-owned utilities across the U.S. are also looking to take advantage of plunging costs for sun-generated power and carve out a share of the market. And critics say the bill amounts to utilities muscling out small companies, threatening the 1,500 jobs the Solar Foundation estimated in 2015 the industry had created in Indiana. Utilities are also promoting an alternative to installing home solar panels called “community solar” that involves customers agreeing to buy or lease panels from the utilities on large panel farms. “Utilities like solar if they can control those assets,” said Ryan Zaricki, who owns Whole Sun Designs, a solar panel installation company headquartered in Evansville. Zaricki, who employs five workers during busy months, said that if the bill passes “it means that, in the long term, I won’t have a business.” Duke Energy Corp., the largest electricity company in the nation, this year plans to launch a “community solar” program in South Carolina and seek regulatory permission to do so in North Carolina, Florida, Kentucky and Ohio, as well as Indiana, utility vice president Melisa Johns said. Indiana is not the first state to consider a solar industry overhaul. Michigan, Illinois and Iowa are phasing out net metering at a gentler pace, according to advocates. In Maine, Republican Gov. Paul LePage last year vetoed a bill that would have overhauled the state’s approach. Montana also is considering policy changes, according to The National Conference of State Legislatures. Utilities say the current Indiana compensation system is unfair because it requires them to pay solar panel owners for power at retail cost — which is more than it would cost them to produce the energy. They also stress that they own the infrastructure solar panel owners rely on to feed their excess power onto the grid and should be compensated. “The simple logic for us is if you’re using it, you should pay for it,” said Mark Maassel, president of the Indiana Energy Association, which represents the largest power utilities. The solar measure is the latest pushed by Republicans in Indiana, who dominate the Statehouse, which would corner a market, or benefit longtime political allies and campaign donors. A bill last week that would have effectively blocked electric car maker Tesla from selling in Indiana was overhauled after opposition. Last year lawmakers passed vaping industry regulations that created a monopoly for one security firm that became the sole gatekeeper of who could manufacture the nicotine-laced liquid consumed through vaping. GOP leaders pledged to “fix” the law this year after the FBI launched a probe. Over the past three years Duke energy and its affiliated political committees funneled $76,000 to state Senate members of both parties. Hershman has collected $9,000 from the company since 2010, according to state campaign finance records. The utilities also donated more than $1 million to the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, which helped finance trade missions former Gov. Mike Pence led to several foreign countries in 2014 and 2015, according to data obtained through a public records request. The corporation is a quasi-governmental agency that regularly uses private donations to fund VIP trips for state officials. Luca Sbisa Womens Jersey
Govt released Rs 509 crore for grid connected, small solar plans as on Jan 31: Piyush Goyal
An amount of Rs 600 crore has been allocated for projects under Grid Connected Rooftop and Small Solar Power Plants Programme and Rs 508.84 crore has been released as on Jan 31, Piyush Goyal, power, coal, mines, renewable energy and mines minister today said in a written reply Lok Sabha. As per the figures given by the government, Tamil Nadu has been approved to set up the highest capacity of 312 Megawatt followed by Maharashtra at 100 MW and Gujarat at 81.75 MW. The Solar Energy Corporation of India has been sanctioned to set up projects of total 899.6 MW capacity, railways 502.5 MW, and government and PSU offices 482 MW. The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy has been promoting ‘Grid Connected Rooftop and Small Solar Power Plants Programme’ with a central financial assistance (CFA) of up to 30 per cent of benchmark cost in general category states and up to 70 per cent in special category states, north eastern states, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Residential, institutional and social sector are covered under this CFA pattern. For government sector, achievement linked incentive up to Rs 1,8750/KW in general category states and Rs 45,000/kW in special category states, north eastern states and Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep is available under the programme. In a separate reply, Goyal also said a total of 852 projects (based on Solar PV) have been operational under Decentralized Distributed Generation (DDG) of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) implemented by Ministry of Power as on Jan 31. Emmanuel Lamur Authentic Jersey
UP Election 2017: Akhilesh Yadav promises 24 hours power supply after polls
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today said rural areas of the state will get round the clock power supply after the Assembly polls. “At present, power supply in urban area is 22 to 24 hours and in rural area, it is 14 to 16 hours. However, after the Assembly election, 22 to 24 hour supply would be ensured in rural areas as well,” he said at an election rally in Kosi town of Chhata assembly constituency here. He said 108 ambulance type services would be introduced for cattle. The Samajwadi Party leader also promised opening up of more sugar mills and milk plants in the constituency. Akhilesh hit out at the Modi government over demonetisation and its “failure to rein in black money hoarders”. “No compensation was announced by the Centre for those who lost their lives while standing in serpentine bank queues in the wake of demonetisation. Nevertheless, the SP government has given Rs 2 lakh each to the deceased’s families,” he said. The first phase of the crucial Assembly polls will begin on February 11. The ruling Samajwadi Party has entered into an alliance with Congress for the state polls. Rod Smith Womens Jersey