In the last three years, Airports Authority of India (AAI) has spent over Rs 34 crore on maintenance of 31 non-operational airports in the country. Apart from the 31 non-operational airports, there are 45 defence airports, 83 state government airports and five private air strips lying unused, KC Venugopal, Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation told the Rajya Sabha last week.
The 31 non-operational airports are located in 16 states and AAI has spent a total of Rs 34.43 crore since 2009-10 on their maintenance. In 2009-10, AAI spent Rs 8.07 crore, in 2010-11, RS 19.23 crore and in 2011-12 Rs 11.46 crore, he said, adding AAI has incurred a loss of Rs 38.74 crore on these airports in last three financial year.
Venugopal informed the House that there were 44 private and government flying schools in the country and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had audited 39 of them. During the audit, irregularities pertaining to upkeep of documents like compendium, flying training circulars, completion of flying training dossiers briefing, de-briefing, maintenance of dissemination register for information to working engineers and false logging were found.
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