In a major leap forward, Kishtwar will soon get a full-fledged Airport facility for which an upgraded airstrip will be constructed adjacent to the Chaugan ground in the city.
This was disclosed here today by Union Minister of State in PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh, after presiding over a joint meeting of senior officers of J&K State Government and Defence Forces to sort out various aspects of the issue.
The meeting was arranged by MoS Defence Dr Subhash Ramrao Bhamre and also attended by Sunil Sharma, Minister of State (I/C) Transport, Jammu and Kashmir.
The State Government was represented by Chief Secretary Bharat Bhushan Vyas and Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Rohit Kansal through video conferencing, while those physically present at the meeting included Dheeraj Gupta Principal Secretary (Coordination) Government of Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Mandeep Bhandari former Divisional Commissioner Jammu and Angrez Singh Rana Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar.
Defence Forces were represented by Major General TV Seha ADG, Brigadier Rahul R Singh DDG, Bridgediar Rohan Anand, Col. Gaurav Sanan, Lt. Col. P M Singh, ADG K J S Chauhan, ADG GS Rajeswaran and DEO Udhampur V K Bhatia.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that in the next few days, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed between the Government of Jammu and Kashmir and Defence authorities wherein an Airstrip will be constructed and maintained by Government of Jammu and Kashmir, and the extra piece of land required for construction of this strip will be made available from the land currently under the possession of the Army. The airstrip that will come up, he said, will be for joint use of the civilian authorities as well as the Indian Army.
However, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the Government gives highest preference to the priorities and concerns of the Indian Army and is very sensitive about requirements of the Defence Forces. Considering this, he said, as per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the Army authorities will be entitled to exercise priority and prerogative on different issues related to the bilateral arrangement between Civilian Government and the Army.