Thaw on the ground, now in the air: India, Pak agree on new route

Within a week of the historic handshake between Prime Minister A B Vajpayee and General Pervez Musharraf in Islamabad, its resonance was fel...

Within a week of the historic handshake between Prime Minister A B Vajpayee and General Pervez Musharraf in Islamabad, its resonance was felt at Bangkok where India and Pakistan agreed on a new air route between both countries during an international civil aviation meet.

The route, which has been under discussion since June last year, is likely to be notified on Thursday. It will stretch from India’s eastern coast (south of Bhubaneshwar), across central India (north of Nagpur), to Sindh in Pakistan.

Significantly, it links up with air routes from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, opening up the airspace for more flights between South East Asia and Europe via India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

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With New Delhi and Islamabad revising the air bilateral during last month’s civil aviation talks to allow jumbo aircraft, PIA can now plan more long haul flights to South East Asia using this new route that does not require touching either Delhi or Mumbai.

According to official sources, civil aviation representatives from both countries gave their nod to this proposal at a meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organisation from January 7 to 9 at Bangkok.

‘‘This essentially means that more number of flights can now be packed in Indian airspace and also provides an alternate route into Pakistan
airspace,’’ said a senior official.

As of now, there are six points of entry for flights from India to Pakistan. While four are located towards the south, two are in the north.

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A new air reference point called ‘Vikit’ has been plotted on the India-Pakistan border to accommodate this route.

This will be the seventh point of entry between both countries and lies somehwere along the Rajasthan border opposite Rahimyar Khan in Sindh.

Pakistan has, however, committed to allow flight operations only at a height of 31,000 feet and above. According to officials, the Pakistani side said it will seek clearance from military authorities to lower the minimum altitude by at least another 1000 feet. India, on the other hand, has already obtained defence clearance in the matter.

It’s learnt that the new route will contribute in a big way to bring down air traffic congestion on international routes across North India—which is preferred by Europe-bound flights — by about 30 per cent.

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Further, it is expected to also reduce ground delays at Delhi airport and bring in added revenue in the form of route navigational faciliation charges.

Civil Aviation officials said Pakistan also assured to harmonise this route with existing ones to the north, allowing a clear and short passage to a flight entering India in southern Orissa till Afghanistan airspace.

Earlier, all these flights had to route through Delhi before to enter Pakistan.