my uttarakhand news Bureau
Dehradun, 30 Mar: BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Bhatt has urged the Centre to expand the Gauchar airstrip in Chamoli district and introduce regular flight services connecting Delhi, Dehradun and Pantnagar. Raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha, Bhatt also pressed for the establishment of a permanent air ambulance base at the strategically significant location. Bhatt stressed on the urgent need to strengthen air connectivity in the difficult geographical terrain of Uttarakhand, describing it as essential not only for development and social security in the border areas but also for national security and emergency response.
Drawing the Centre’s attention to the present conditions of aviation services in the state, he stated that Gauchar airstrip, located in Chamoli district, holds immense importance from both strategic and disaster management perspectives. He pointed out that its utility had already been demonstrated during the 2013 Kedarnath floods, when it played a crucial role in relief and rescue operations. Despite this, only limited private operators with small aircraft currently operate there, which he termed grossly inadequate, adding that the absence of regular commercial flights continues to inconvenience local residents as well as pilgrims travelling to Kedarnath Temple and Badrinath Temple.
Emphasising its geographical advantage, Bhatt said Gauchar lies between Kedarnath and Badrinath and can be developed as a major aviation hub for the region, which would significantly reduce pressure on road transport and make travel safer and more convenient for pilgrims and tourists alike. He further underlined the strategic importance of airstrips such as Gauchar, Pithoragarh and Chinyalisaur, noting that their round-the-clock operational readiness is vital given their proximity to the international border with China. Improved air connectivity, he added, would also help check migration from border areas by boosting tourism and promoting homestay-based local economies.
Calling for concrete steps, Bhatt urged the Centre to expand the Gauchar airstrip and upgrade it to handle larger aircraft, alongside introducing regular fixed-wing flight services linking it with Dehradun, Delhi and Pantnagar. He also appealed for prioritising Gauchar and Naini-Saini in Pithoragarh under the next phase of the UDAN scheme, with adequate subsidies to encourage operators. He expressed gratitude to the Centre for recently initiating a 45-seater flight service between Dehradun and Pithoragarh under the same scheme.
Raising a critical issue concerning life-saving infrastructure, Bhatt stressed the need to establish Gauchar as a permanent base for air ambulance services to ensure timely emergency medical care for residents of high-altitude and remote Himalayan regions.
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