Koteshwar Hydro Electric Project
6-Mar-2017: CCEA approves Revised Cost Estimate of Koteshwar Hydro Electric Project.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the Revised Cost Estimate-I of 400 MW Koteshwar Hydro Electric Project (HEP) in Uttarakhand at an estimated completion cost of Rs.2,717.35 crore.
The project is being implemented by Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) India Limited.
In addition to additional generating capacity of 400 MW of peaking power it will regulate releases from Tehri Reservoir for irrigation and drinking water supply. The reservoir of Koteshwar HEP will also act as lower reservoir for under construction Tehri PSP (1000 MW).
The Project has already been commissioned fully in March, 2012. Only balance works are to be done which are not linked with operation of the Plant but essential for safety and completion of the project.
Koteshwar Hydro-Electric Project (400 MW), located 22 km downstream of Tehri, is an integral part of Tehri Power Complex comprising of Tehri Dam & HPP (1000 MW), Tehri PSP (1000MW) and Koteshwar HEP (400MW) to develop Hydro-electric potential of river Bhagirathi. It will facilitate the functioning of Tehri Power Complex as a major peaking station in Northern grid as reservoir created by Koteshwar Dam having a live storage capacity of 35.0 MCM will function as lower (balancing) reservoir for Tehri PSP.
Tezu airport
4-Mar-2017: Centre builds a civilian airport and two major bridges across Lohit river in Arunachal
Arunachal Pradesh to acquire all-weather connectivity after the construction of new bridges across the Lohit river and the new commercial airport in Tezu. It will ease transport to several high-altitude districts near the India-China border. Airport will be equipped with night-landing facility.
The improvements in connectivity is significant in view of the statements by Beijing’s officials asserting China’s territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh.
Apart from the airport, the two mega-bridges are built over the Lohit river to move men and material to the eastern sector of the India-China border. The bridges at the Dhola-Sadiya Ghat and at Digaru Ghat are built by the Navayuga Engineering Company Ltd (NECL).
The bridge at Sadiya, at 9.15 km, will be the longest bridge in India once it is formally inaugurated. However, the people at Tezu say it is the smaller bridge of 2.1 km built at the Digaru Ghat that has reduced the distance between Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, bringing the State closer to the rest of India.
In the absence of the bridges, the drive from Guwahati will be interrupted by the Lohit, which could be crossed only by boat. The other bridge near the pilgrimage site of Parashuram Kund is often difficult to reach.
Vehicular traffic across the river required a risky boat ride carrying large and small vehicles to Tezu town. The route to Tezu is critical from a strategic point of view as the Himalayan range, which became famous as ‘the hump’ during World War II, can be accessed only through the mountain roads that begin at Tezu.
Tezu is the nearest town to Walong, where a legendary battle between Indian and Chinese soldiers took place between 16 October to 16 November 1962.
The new bridges will also provide the necessary support for the strategic preparedness for the forces in the mountains, which will be critical for India where the new Mountain Strike Corps is likely to focus.
The planned high altitude airfields in the Himalayan range would also be helped by the enhanced connectivity of Tezu.
Heliports
28-Feb-2017: India’s first Integrated Heliport inaugurated
The First Integrated Heliport was dedicated to the Nation by Ministry of Civil Aviation in association with Pawan Hans at Rohini Heliport, Delhi. Helicopter services in India are still at a nascent stage. This facility will keep the cost under control as MRO facility has been incorporated. This would also help in job creation.
Heliport will also be useful in providing medical emergency, public safety and enhancing tourism. Helicopter services could become economically viable if the prevailing 25% tax on ATF is reduced.
National Aviation Policy advises to have four heliports, one in each region and Rohini’s heliport is the first step. Helicopter operations could be shifted from I.G.I to Rohini.
The Rohini heliport has been completed in almost two years at a cost of nearly 100 crores. This Heliport will provide all helicopter operational facilities and will decongest busy Indira Gandhi International Airport, and also promote Regional Air connectivity through helicopters in the northern part of the country for regular passenger services, heli services, landing & parking of helicopters, Helicopters Maintenance Services (MRO), disaster management, helicopter emergency medical services (HeMS), law & order surveillance. The Heliport consists of a terminal building having capacity of 150 passengers, 4 hangers with parking capacities for 16 helicopters and 9 parking bays.
Pawan Hans has also prepared a roadmap to connect all the major destination from this Heliport such as Ex-Delhi to Shimla, Haridwar, Dehradun Mathura, Agra, Meerut and Industrial Hubs such as Manesar, Bahadurgarh etc. They will provide air connectivity between Delhi and neighbouring cities from Rohini Heliport. Regional connectivity will be fully achieved when we are able to connect at least all capital cities with district headquarters by air, which can be made possible only by combination of smaller planes and helicopters for seamless connectivity.
PHL is working on its business diversification and has devised a Strategic Plan - 2020 according to which company will be diversifying into small fixed wing and seaplane operations; Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) business and development of helipads and Heliports. It is working to develop four “heli-hubs” in line with the concept lines of the “Airport-Hubs” and Rohini is the First step into this series. These heli-hubs will be a one-point solution for the helicopter business and will act as a heliport for public passenger services, MRO facility for helicopter maintenance and also as a skill development centre for training of pilots, AMEs and technicians