Bokaro Airport Nears Operations: Key Clearances Fast-Tracked for Commercial Flights

Bokaro: The long-pending Bokaro Airport project moved closer to operations after a high-level review meeting on Thursday, with the Jharkhand govt directing officials to fast-track remaining clearances.The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) is expected to visit for inspection in the last week of May or the first week of June, with security clearance emerging as a key hurdle before commercial flights can begin.The meeting was chaired by state civil aviation secretary Vandana Dadel and attended by Airports Authority of India (AAI) director Binod Kumar, a Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL) officer and other departments. DC Ajay Nath Jha joined virtually.Airport director Binod Kumar said, “The review meeting was primarily focused on assessing the work already completed and identifying the pending tasks to accelerate the process of starting commercial flight operations from Bokaro Airport.”“The BCAS team is likely to inspect the airport either in the last week of May or the first week of June. Once BCAS gives clearance regarding security compliance, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) team will conduct its inspection,” Kumar said.He added that DGCA officials will check runway conditions, markings, firefighting arrangements, communication equipment, ambulance facilities and other safety requirements, and that flights will start only after the licence is granted.Officials said BSL is expected to submit its DGCA licence application within the next 15 days, a major step after years of delay.Jha said, “Most of the work assigned to the state govt has already been completed, including obstruction lights on Satanpur hill.”Pending items include Consent to Operate (CTO), security clearances and technical procedures. Another concern remains finding an airline operator, with the lack of a confirmed carrier still a bottleneck.