Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 16: Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has taken on the mantle to give a concrete shape to the Government’s plans of developing 200 low-cost airports in the next 20 years to connect tier-II and tier-III cities, by taking the lead to devise a viable indigenous business model to ensure cost effective refueling facilities at these airports.
A special business model has been created in view of the fact that while setting up of low-cost airports in these cities ranks high on the Government’s agenda, constructing full-fledged aviation fuelling facilities at small city airports might not be economically viable.
Indian Oil is ensuring that while the low-cost model will be put in place, there will be no compromise on safety and quality and that the refueling facilities will meet its stringent statutory as well as quality control norms.
While Indian Oil has already received requests for setting up refueling facilities at Rourkela, Shimla, Dharamsala, Sindhudurg and other airports located in the north-east, it has already successfully commissioned its first low cost aviation fuelling facility at Mohali.
These airports will not only serve as feeder airports, generating traffic for existing under-utilized airports, but also cater to the tourist inflow.
The low cost AFS model comprises setting up of small-sized AFSs or Aviation Fuelling Points (AFPs), with a provision of containerized/self bunded tanks and allied facilities after taking over of optimum sized land from AAI/airport operator/Govt agencies like Railways or on Indian Oil’s Retail Outlets.
This “Make in India” initiative, involved total design, manufacture, supply, erection and commissioning of double-walled vessels by Indian Oil’s Aviation group in association with its Cryogenic Unit. Encouraged by the economic viability of this model, Indian Oil is in the process of constructing several small sized AFPs/AFPs at various tier II and tier III cities.
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