Met office a problem in flight operations at Imphal airport
Source: Bijoy Laishram / Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, May 30 2011: Even though Imphal's Tulihal Airport has begun operating night flights, upgradation of the meteorology office is being delayed.

The Met office is considered to be the backbone of flight operations.

The office is to prepare weather forecasts and other relevant information for flights with which it is concerned, to exchange meteorological information with other meteorological offices.

Despite its importance, the office in Imphal airport which had got approval from the concerned Union Minister still suffers from shortage of staff apart from lack of updated infrastructure.

The regional meteorological office, Guwahati is delaying the upgrading of this office.

The meteorology office at Imphal airport had submitted proposals for necessary upgradation citing the importance related to operating night flights.

Upgradation work is to be taken up by the Guwahati Regional Meteorology office with the approval of its head office in New Delhi.

The Imphal Meteorology office said that top officials of the Guwahati Regional office are unwilling to come in Imphal citing extortion activities of militants.

Officials say the office has remained under staffed for 12 years while meteorology offices at Itanagar and Agartala airports, having less flight frequencies than Imphal airport, have already been brought up to the level of first class meteorology offices.

These offices run with full-fledged directors of their own.

State government had provided four acres of land required for expansion of the Imphal meteorology office as per demanded by its authority.

Government had issued necessary land allotment orders but the premium to be provided by the Regional Meteorology office is yet to be released, Imphal meteorology officials disclosed.

The office is currently functioning for 12 hours only, from 6.30 am to 6.30 pm due to manpower shortage.

During a night landings, the staff was called up and detailed in the evening shift.

Fourteen to fifteen flights, scheduled and non-scheduled operate in a day in Imphal airport and Indian Airline flight 889 usually lands late in the evening.

Depending on demand, flights from New Delhi frequently arrive late in the evening.

The authority in Imphal face problems when the authority in New Delhi seek current weather reports.

Even though, Guwahati Meteorology office provides the green signal sometimes the forecasts are not accurate with the prevailing weather system in Imphal airport and its mountainous region.

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