Aerospace Diary

Neelam Mathews July 20, 2013  The government can cry itself hoarse over how it wants to develop its regional airport policy and even make announcements on how well the projects are doing, but it is clear that things are far from what they seem. Reality bites. Finally somebody had the gall to take legal action against an ineffective, inefficient, staid system. Pushed to take legal recourse due to lack of response from JV partner and sister companies, promoters of Regional Airport-Holdings International Limited (RAHI), a joint-venture between Rahi Aviation Holdings Pvt. Ltd. (RAH) and IL&FS Transportation Networks Ltd announced that a series of legal actions had been initiated against IL&FS, ITNL, IL&FS Engineering (IECCL, earlier known as Maytas) and others, “in the wake of the Gulbarga and Shimoga Airport Projects languishing for want of appropriate responses from IL&FS.” RAHI came in with dreams of building 99 airports and I can attest to the passion ...

Neelam Mathews June11, 2023 The ambitious airport project by developers at Gulbarga is facing cost issues with IL&FS defaulting and dilly dallying on its promise to clear funds it had committed, a letter by the Karnataka  government in early April, alluded. The deadline given for end May has passed and no word has come in from IL&FS we learn, from state government sources. "This is a big jolt to the government's touted regional airlines policy. Developers will not come in with money if partners default like this," said an airline official on anonymity. RAHI, the developer had, enthusiastically planned 99 regional airports for India after the government had said it wanted to improve and extend connectivity to remote areas. The Karnataka government had written to the shareholders, the letter was reviewed by Aerospacediary, to "quickly get back ..with a comprehensive plan by completing construction of the airport...by adhering to the extended timeline......

Neelam Mathews Aug 10, 2011 Bengaluru-based Regional Airport-Holdings International (RAHI) is firming its business plan for an air taxi operation and a regional airline, to be announced by the end of the month, Umesh Kumar Baveja, Founder-Chairman, told Aerospace Diary. The company has also started construction of two regional airports at Shimoga and Gulbarga in Karnataka, scheduled for completion in mid 2012. The air taxi operation will have rotary wing aircraft between 5-20 seats to feed smaller airstrips while the regional airline, named RAHI, will have on its fleet, 30-40 seaters. The airline plans to start with 4-5 aircraft, says Baveja. “No destination is too small for us,” says Baveja, echoing the tagline of his company’s name. “Regional airports is our first name. We are looking at serving hinterlands rather than the metros,” he adds. The location for the base for the aircraft has not been decided as it will be subject to viability, availability and feasibility of op...