Thursday, May 19, 2011
India's Most Wanted!!! is C.B.I
Sunday, May 15, 2011
City of Gold...demanding Wings!!!
'Start flights from any Maharashtra city'
SURAT: Three months ago, a top official from one of the most viable private airline companies put up a proposal for expansion of his carrier to five different sectors of the country. As required he put up a joint proposal to civil aviation ministry for permission to fly commercially on these sectors. Two of the routes were inEast and North East, two in the South and one in Western India. The proposal for Western India was a daily flight from Surat to Delhi. Another airline put up a plan for daily flight from Bangalore to Ahmedabad via Surat on both sides.
For the first airline, three proposals were sanctioned but they were told to forget Surat and instead begin a flight from a city in Maharashtra that has population of just seven lakh. However, when it came to the official reply, the airline is still waiting for that.
As many as five top private carriers of the country apart from Air India showed interest in starting flights from Surat. After several rounds of meetings, all of them wanted their share of the pie and were more than willing to begin at earliest.
"If we are asked to take a final call on the issue, we will begin in 15 days," said a top official handling the Western sector operations of a private carrier. "But, the problem is if we put the name of Surat, we don't get a reply at all. How can you expect us to get taxiing space and parking space on Surat airport? At what cost? Do you think, required time slots would be granted by the aviation ministry?" he asked and added, "But, if I replace Surat with Satara or Sangli, that approval will come in double quick time. I hope this attitude changes fast."
On the other side, all these airline operators officially have been giving different reasons for the delay in beginning of the operations. Ajoy Bhattacharya, president, South Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industries (SGCCI) said, "Officially be it Indigo, King Fisher, Jet, Spice Jet, Go Air or any one else, they have been telling us that they don't have availability of aircraft. Some are even talking of slot availability." He added, "But in private, their talks give a feeling of negativity despite the knowledge of huge potential on their part." It is apparent that petty regional considerations on the part of the powers-that-be, have taken their toll of Surti cause of air connectivity.
About 100 days ago, Kingfisher had shown preparedness for flying on Surat-Mumbai, Surat -Bangalore and Surat Delhi sector. Jet had shown interest for Mumbai and Delhi, Spice Jet and Indigo for Chennai, and Kolkata segment, whereas Go Air and Ventura had prepared for operating on Surat - Jaipur and Surat - Bhavnagar routes..
this was a very disturbing report., as my own city was like getting abused!!.me and my brother were jus discussing the issue on FB as he lives in Armenia, about the reasons why the air connectivity is denied every time. he suggested that we should mail the authorities and the electronic media and raise the issue. Being a FB usser i created the group called We WANT a WORKING AIRPORT at ''SURAT''
we could not get the desired response from the people.till last Tuesday there were only 80 members and the group was more or less inactive. but that was the day when things started changing, a businessman and a well wisher of Surat Mr Manoj Singapuri who himself is a FB user visited the Group. he was committed for the air connectivity and hence he boosted the group with 200 members, including some experianced professionals and businessman!!
The Group got what it needed, dedicated Surties who are committed for the air connectivity.Within no time the number was 600, on 15th of may 2011, TOI published an Artical on the Group and stated who we were organizing an online support for the airport and how Priyank desai my brother was responsible for the foundation of the group, also the energy brought in by Mr, Singapuri.
after the artical was published, the membership shooted up and at the vary moment it counts 1600!!..and counting.
teh TIO story,
SURAT: Tired of being let down time and again after repeated assurances of promised air connectivity, Surtis have begun to voice out on Facebook by forming a group called 'We want a working airport at Surat'. The movement has got immense support by Surtis around the world and has grown from 80 to a whopping 600 plus members and counting.
Begun with the simple lines 'Dreaming a day when no need to catch a train after a long wait at Borivali station. Just land directly on our own airport', two months ago, the group was started by an NRI Surti youngster - Priyank Desai - who lives in Armenia.
Discovered by a Surti businessman Manoj Singapuri on Facebook on Thursday evening, it is now spreading like wildfire. "I chanced upon it while searching for information on Surat airport, day before yesterday. It had 80 members protesting and I added my entire group of friends to it. Since then, I have been constantly posting official numbers and data regarding this issue. Even the smallest of cities like Dibrugarh and Agartala have at least 6 flights each," says Singapuri.
Overnight, strong comments as well as online links to news articles where politicians have made false promises in the past have been posted on the FB group wall. Also, important numbers and email IDs of Airport Authority of India, aviation ministry, SMC, airline offices, television networks, twitter and website links of chief minister Narendra Modi have all found space in the varied postings. Group members are being urged to write letters demanding more flights within and out of Gujarat.
Other than businessmen, homemakers and students too are giving the group thumbs up with simple and funny suggestions as well as strong opinions. Youngsters like Kurinji Thakker are also posting all available information on Surat airport and stories which have been carried in the past in prominent newspapers.
"We hope to succeed where the SGCI, aviation ministry, local and central governing bodies have failed. We are Gujarat's second largest city and India's eighth; surely we deserve better air connectivity," says Singapuri.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
The Burning Question
this is a note on the 60 days long Cut-off of manipur from rest of the nation....
The Indian ExpressTags :
Posted: Tue Jun 01 2010, 03:04 hrs
If the Northeast has occupied the farthest nook of mainland India’s consciousness, the state of Manipur has been given the tiniest toehold on that nook. That is why the rest of the nation, as a rule, doesn’t think of the eight states (including Sikkim) beyond the chicken’s neck, except for news of death and gore. But gory news is largely and thankfully past, and tales from the Northeast, except about Chinese eyes on Arunachal, hardly arrest our attention. Imagine then Manipur, compromised by geography and demographics, located literally at the farthest end of the Union and fractured by ethnic divisions. Imagine this state, covering the last stretches of two national highways — the NH 39 and NH 53 — and those two blockaded, with the population deprived of everyday essentials. (The third, NH 150, is so roundabout that nobody ever wants to use it for supplies.)
The trouble had begun with the state government’s decision to hold district council polls, including in the Naga-dominated districts; it came to a crisis with Manipur’s refusal to let National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) leader Thuingaleng Muivah visit his ancestral village in Ukhrul. When NH 39, Manipur’s lifeline, was blockaded by Nagas first on April 11, Manipuris believed that, as always, a settlement would be reached soon. It is still on and people are paying as much as Rs 150 for a litre of petrol or nearly Rs 2000 for an LPG cylinder in the blackmarket. The diversion of some trucks through the longer and less-preferred NH 53 brought in under escort some supplies a few days ago; but with counter-blockades threatened to block goods from the Imphal valley to the Naga hills, Manipur’s crisis could jeopardise the Northeast.
The Centre must act to rescue the crippled state and prevent an escalation of the confrontationist attitudes into a full confrontation. Manipur being blocked out does not evoke an automatic response because of the zero impact it has on the rest of the country. That unconcern is inhuman. Moreover, the political basis of the trouble must be resolved for a permanent peace in the region, and that cannot happen unless the Centre settles with the NSCN and brings them into the mainstream.
these are the burning questions
1-how can an entire state be cut-off for 60 long days?
2-wht was the govermrnt doing for 2 long months?
3-this is the North-East- Border areas- how can such act was allowed?
4- If some small Group can Cut off the entire state- how the centre goin to fight the invesion from out?
5-geographcally this region is most important..than y all focus is on kashmir?
6-Y MEDIA DIDNT EVEN care to Broadcast news abt this?
7-y chidambaram took 60 days to visit the place
8-wht was the goverment doing?