Coming soon: MRDL Airlines!

The MRDL Airlines, which has plans to acquire five RJ-70 aircraft from British Aerospace and an equal number of Mi-172 helicopters, would launch flights from Delhi to Kullu Dharamsala and Dehradun in the next three months, once the aircraft start being inducted, chairman of MRDL group of companies, Gopal Kumar Goyal said.

While the RJ-70, to be inducted on lease-purchase basis, would be about 8-years old with a capacity of 70 seats in executive and economy configuration, the helicopters to be acquired from Russian firm Kazan Helicopters would be 27-seaters.

The RJ-70s, which are capable of short take off and landing, would be introduced for the first time in India.

On pricing, former Vayudoot chief Harsh Vardhan, who is an aviation consultant for the MRDL, said it would be done in a competitive manner and would be flexible.

"We are in the advanced state of negotiations with British Aerospace for lease/purchase of the RJ-70s and hope to complete the talks in the next few days," Goyal said.

He also announced plans to launch the cargo wing of his airline by the next year, but refused to give details.

Harsha Vardhan said the fleet of the airline will be based in Chandigarh. Goyal and Harsh Vardhan said the first services would commence from Delhi to some major pilgrimage centres of north India.

The MRDL Group has diverse business activities including housing, infrastructure, financing and IT.