Airstrip proposed near Statue of Unity

Rajpipla: If things go as planned, tourists could also take a flight to visit world’s tallest statue - the Statue of Unity - at Kevadiya Colony, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 31.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has identified 47 hectares of land on the banks of Karjan River to build an airstrip suitable for landing of 80-seater aircraft.

Narmada district collector RS Ninama said principal secretary, tourism department, SJ Haider, along with officials of civil aviation ministry visited the location on Saturday. The land is already under the possession of the state government and therefore the work for construction of the airstrip can be expected to begin at the earliest. There are plans to connect Vadodara and Ahmedabad to the airstrip at Rajpipla.

“The proposed airstrip has been envisaged 20 kilometres from the Statue of Unity,” said Ninama.

Statue of Unity dedicated to India’s Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is touted to become an international tourist destination. The state government is working on enhancing the connectivity to Kevadiya through road, rail and air.

Aviation industry was still at the nascent stage in 1925 when Maharaja of Rajpipla Vijaysinhji Gohil, an aviation buff, dreamt of having a full-fledged airport in his state. Maharaja Vijaysinhji, who donated three Spitfire fighter aircraft to British Empire during World War-II, had earmarked 150 acres of land on the banks of Karjan river near Rajpipla for the airport and got an airstrip temporarily made for aircraft to land in 1930.

When Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru came to Rajpipla to lay the foundation stone of Sardar Sarovar Dam in 1961, his aircraft had landed on the same airstrip which later went into disuse.

“Maharaja Vijaysinhji was a visionary. His dream of having an airport in Rajpipla to some extent will be realized with the construction of this airstrip. Air connectivity would give boost to tourism in the region,” said Ninama.