World exploring blending biofuel with ATF, this could be a gamechanger in aviation sector: Gadkari

Nagpur: Union minister for road transport Nitin Gadkari said the possibility of blending 5% biofuel with aviation turbine fuel ( ATF ) is being discussed worldwide and India has an immense potential in tapping this resource. And this could be a gamechanger in this sector, he added.

He was speaking at the inaugural session of a seminar organised by Air Traffic Controllers Guild of India . "SpiceJet operated a flight run on biofuel from Dehradun to Delhi. Tatas conducted an experiment with a Vistara flight. The case of sustainable aviation fuels, which is a type of biofuel, was also discussed at the World Economic Forum in Davos. India has great scope in this sector and Indian Oil Corporation has set up a plant with a capacity to produce 78,000 tons of sustainable biofuel every year. It also makes 150 tons per day of bio bitumen and one lakh litres of ethanol a day," he said, adding farmers would be able to contribute to making aviation fuel.

"Biofuel can help expand airports and aircraft. Even amphibious seaplanes would enter the scene and more choppers can hit the skies, particularly in Uttarakhand where old flying machines are causing accidents," he said.

At the same time, Gadkari criticised the Airports Authority of India (AAI), saying the govt agency needs to catch up with time. "AAI lives in baba adam ka zamana (primitive times). It also takes ages in making decisions," he said. A proposal to bring aircraft flying below a height of 5,000 feet out of AAI's control is gathering dust. "Safety is a concern, but we cannot afford to lag behind the times," he said.

"Often, I travel by helicopter or a special flight. And it takes not less than an hour to get permission to take off. To reach Mathura, I need to take a detour from Haryana, literally circumambulating AAI to seek its blessings," he said.

"A bureaucrat of secretary rank said there was a proposal to bring aircraft flying below 5,000 feet out of AAI's control. But, no decision has been made yet. It's all because AAI still lives in a time warp. It must compare its norms with other countries. See what rules are in place in the US," said Gadkari. He said AAI's slow process also halted introduction of a law related to operations of amphibious planes — one of his pet projects when he held the shipping ministry.