Number of air passengers has gone up to more than 10 cr: Sinha

Union Minister Jayant Sinha today said the number of air passengers in the country has gone up to more than 10 crore, which is higher than railway passengers travelling in AC coaches.

The Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation said the number of air passengers would increase further as the government intends to set up more airports in the country including in Jharkhand to improve air connectivity.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently laid foundation of an international airport in Deoghar, which would help attract tourists thus giving boost to tourism sector of the state, he told reporters here.

The government also has plan to set up airports in Hazaribag, Bokaro, Dhanbad and Dumka to improve air connectivity, Sinha said.

Birsa Munda airport in Ranchi has been developed as one of the best airports in small cities, while the Deoghar airport would be modern airport of the state with all necessary facilities for fliers as well as for operation of air traffic, he said.

Sinha, who is a Lok Sabha member from Hazaribagh was in Ramgarh to join the campaign "Sampark Abhiyan" initiated by BJP president Amit Shah to meet prominent persons of his home parliamentary constituency.

As a part of the campaign, Sinha visited the house of noted businessman Tilakraj Mangal and JMM leader Anmol Singh, who is the vice chairman of Cantonment Board of Ramgarh.