Ratnagiri: Indian Coast Guard Ratnagiri Air Station is set to become a new hub for civilian air travel after the Indian Coast Guard and the Maharashtra government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The agreement will allow civil flight operations from the Coast Guard Air Station in Ratnagiri, improving regional connectivity under the UDAN scheme and making air travel easier for people in the Konkan region.
Details of Indian Coast Guard Maharashtra MoU
The Indian Coast Guard and the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) have signed an MoU to enable civil flight operations from the Coast Guard Air Station at Ratnagiri.
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The agreement was signed by senior officials from both organisations. It is aimed at opening the airport for commercial passenger flights while maintaining its defence role.
Indian Coast Guard Maharashtra MoU: What Will the Coast Guard Provide
Under the new agreement, the Indian Coast Guard Air Station at Ratnagiri will provide:
- Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) services.
- Navigation support for aircraft.
- Operational assistance for civil flights.
These services are necessary to safely operate commercial flights from the airport under the Government of India’s UDAN Regional Connectivity Scheme.
Indian Coast Guard Maharashtra MoU: Part of the UDAN Regional Connectivity Scheme
The latest MoU builds on an earlier agreement signed in 2019 between the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI). That agreement was designed to prepare Ratnagiri Airport for regional commercial flights under the UDAN scheme, which aims to improve air connectivity in smaller cities across India.
History of Ratnagiri Air Station
Ratnagiri Airport was originally built in 1973. In 2008, the Maharashtra government transferred the airport and additional MIDC land to the Ministry of Defence for the establishment of a Coast Guard Air Station.
The Coast Guard Air Station was officially commissioned in March 2011 as Maharashtra’s first full-fledged Coast Guard air station. Since then, it has mainly been used for maritime surveillance, coastal security, and search-and-rescue missions along the Arabian Sea.
Why This MoU Is Important
The agreement is expected to:
- Improve air connectivity in the Konkan region.
- Make travel faster for residents and tourists.
- Support tourism and local businesses.
- Strengthen regional economic development.
- Allow better use of existing airport infrastructure.
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