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{/googleAds} According to Dr. Shashank Vikram, Managing Director & Special Secretary, UP Tourism, the routes, which have been identified, include Agra, Lucknow, Varanasi, Meerut, Jhansi, and Khushinagar, among others. “These operators have to fulfill the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) guidelines to start operations. We are hopeful of completing the process in the next one month,” he said. As far as infrastructure at these destinations are concerned, Dr. Vikram said that UP has the highest number of airstrips in India.

Terming the intra-state aviation policy an open-sky policy, Dr. Vikram said that various incentives are offered to operators who come forward to start operations. The state government has already announced reduction in VAT (Value Added Tax) on Air Turbine Fuel (ATF) from 21 per cent to four per cent. This is currently available for both scheduled and non-scheduled airlines, he added. Under the Intra-state Aviation Policy, the government would underwrite nine seats or 50 per cent, whichever is lower, to make operations economically viable. The government will offer ₹20 per km for each empty seat under Viability Gap Funding (VGF), Dr. Vikram added.

Dr. Vikram, who was in Delhi recently to announce the schedule of the 2-day Agra Taj Car Rally, said that the aim is to enhance experience of travellers to the heritage of city of the Taj by introducing attractions and products. He also spoke on the various initiatives being planned under the ‘Heritage Arc’ project comprising Agra-Lucknow-Varanasi. The projects in the pipeline are an ‘Inner Ring Road’, to ease the traffic and improve accessibility to the Taj Mahal, a major beautification project under ‘Tajganj’, and construction of a Mughal Museum. These projects have financial support from The World Bank and the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

The World Bank has extended a financial help of ₹1,800 crore for development of Braj circuit and Buddhist circuit in the state.

Speaking about investments in infrastructure, Dr. Vikram said that the UP government has some “ambitious” projects to improve infrastructure, including the Lucknow-Agra Expressway and the new integrated IT city at Chak Ganjaria in Lucknow. The integrated development will have large convention venues, hotels, etc., within, he added.

Citing various policy-level support systems for private entrepreneurs, including the Heritage Policy, Dr. Vikram said that the state government will announce a Tourism Policy within the next three months.