21/10/14
VAT REDUCTION ON AVIATION FUEL

 

Achchey Din for tourism in Braj region

 

 

Mathura/Vrindavan

 

Pilgrims and tourists from all parts of India  visiting Mathura-Vrindavan and Agra will soon be able to avail of air connectivity and save time.

 

"This initiative will particularly benefit NRIs and elderly pilgrims who can land at Agra and reach Mathura within an hour and half by road," said Mathura resident Kamal Kant, a businessman. 

 

The Uttar Pradesh government has announced drastic reduction in VAT on aviation fuel to promote air travel to and from Agra to Lucknow and two other cities Varanasi and Allahabad in the state. This should give a huge spurt to tourism in the new arc being promoted to benefit Buddhists visiting shrines in the state. Mathura museum, has the biggest collection of Buddha statues which most Buddhists want to see.

 

Against 22 percent, airlines will now pay only 4 percent VAT on aviation fuel (ATF) at Agra's Kheria airport.

 

Indications are that the of the 18 companies which had entered the fray, the lone North East Flight Company will begin operations early November. The state government has assured guaranteed  booking of 30 percent seats in each flight for its bureaucrats and politicians to make the service viable.

 

Rajiv Tiwari, president of the Federation of Travel Agents of India, said  "the profile of tourism in the Braj region is all set to change as air travel will not only becoming affordable but logically practical. The airport has enough space for parking of Boeings. The ILS and night vision cameras are in place. Waiver in parking charges will prove attractive. 18 percent saving on fuel is a huge bait. Normally airlines spend around 45 percent on fuel, if they can save 18 percent, I think we should see a queue soon at the airport in Agra." Tiwari said the Akhilesh Yadav government was seriously pursuing the new air terminal project and has already announced increased compensation to farmers whose land is to be acquired for the new facility at Dhanuali village.

 

In recent years, traffic to Mathura and Vrindavan, as also Goverdhan and Gokul has increased manifold. The affluent pilgrims from Gujarat and Mumbai particularly would love to land at Agra and reach Mathura in a few hours. The state government is keen to bolster tourism in the Braj sector for which a number of schemes are on the anvil.