Mobile airports may be deployed in India's north-eastern region

Shillong: Mobile airports may soon sprout up in the north-eastern region of the country, with the central European country, the Czech Republic, planning to introduce this innovative product in these remote areas.

These airports can be transported in trucks and be made operational in about 20 minutes.

"We are interested in the region because the Czechs are all over India but drew a blank in the north-east," the Czech Republic ambassador, Hynek Kmonicek, said on Friday. "The republic provides integrated airport control and monitoring system and mobile airports that can be carried in trucks and set up within 20 minutes."

"We have been in the aviation sector since the beginning of the 20th century. Our skills in portable heliports and mobile airports are recognised world over," he said.

These portable airports can sustain aircraft loads of 26-40 tonnes.

Czech aviation companies are providing their services in as many as 27 countries.

Czech diplomatic representatives, including their ambassador are on a visit to the region, where they have held meetings with chief ministers, officials from the power and mining department, Neepco, as well as the Airports Authority of India.

The Czech Republic's expertise in micro-hydel projects, airport equipment and food processing have been highlighted at these meetings. Czech officials will draw up an action plan which will involve representatives from the Czech industry visiting India and the northeastern region sometime in October this year.