Member of Parliament (MP) Mohmad Haneefa Jan chaired a meeting of the Airport Advisory Committee for KBR Airport, Leh, on November 23 at the Conference Hall, DC Office, Leh, to review the progress and works of the new airport.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioner, Leh, Santosh Sukhadeve; SSP Leh, Shruti Arora; APD, AAI, KBR Airport Leh, Ramandeep Singh Saini; AOC, 21 Wing, IAF, Leh; GM Project Leh, A. Umasankar; Executive Officer, Municipal Committee Leh; station managers from Air India, SpiceJet, and Indigo Airlines; and representatives from the Hotel/Guest House Association, All Ladakh Tour Operators Association, and other stakeholders.

During the meeting, representatives from the All Ladakh Hotel/Guest House Association and the All Ladakh Tour Operators Association presented various issues, including, expansion of bay capacity and additional bays during peak season, improved guest services and a proper waiting area for drivers and travel agents, enhanced sanitation and maintenance, particularly during winter, simplification of the tender process for local entrepreneurs, provision of adequate medical assistance for tourists and ntroduction of new technology to scan passports instead of requiring travelers to fill out Form C.

APD, AAI, Ramandeep Singh Saini, briefed attendees on steps taken to address these concerns and provided an update on discussions regarding Thoise Airport, involving the UT administration and the Indian Air Force.

GM Project Leh, A. Umasankar, presented a detailed status report on the new airport, highlighting that the project is targeted for completion by October 2025 but is expected to finish two months earlier, by August 2025.

AOC, 21 Wing, IAF, Leh, clarified the allocation of bays, noting that two bays are fully reserved for private aircraft, with a third bay available only for special requirements or emergencies.

The meeting witnessed active participation, with stakeholders contributing valuable suggestions and fostering collaboration.

MP Mohmad Haneefa Jan expressed his intention to visit the airport site to personally assess the issues raised during the meeting.