Sunday, March 13, 2011

Come December, Mangalore Airport to Go International, Assures Moily



Pics: Savitha B RDaijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (PS/SB)
Mangalore, Mar 13: Union law minister M Veerappa Moily on Sunday March 13 said that the long pending demand of internationalizing of Mangalore Airport is a genuine one and assured to make efforts for the realization of the same in coincidence with the valedictory celebration of Diamond Jubilee of Mangalore Airport on December 21.
Thus minister made apt use of the podium to immediately act upon the memorandum submitted by the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry president G G Mohandas Prabhu on behalf of the citizens. Stressing on the facilities and prior preparations to consider any airport as an international one, he said that with the support of state government he will putforth the demands mentioned in the memorandum in front of the cabinet. Calling Mangalore Airport, a precious one, which has 50% of international passenger traffic, he said the participation from all segments including citizen will realize the long-standing dream.
Minister was speaking after inaugurating the diamond jubilee celebrations of Mangalore Airport at the St Aloysius College High School auditorium on behalf of Vayalar Ravi, union minister for overseas Indian affairs & civil aviation, who could not make it to the function due to emergency meeting.
The memorandum included the demands stressing declaration of Mangalore airport as an international airport, increasing the length of the runway, provision of a parallel taxiway to facilitate taxis/free flow of passengers (taxiway Apron), for installation of precision approach lighting system and naming of the airport as “U S Mallya International Airport, Mangalore” among others.
M R Vasudeva, director of Mangalore Airport said that earlier Mangalore Airport which had Rs 4 crore revenue and rupees six and half crore expenditure, now earns revenue up to Rs 36 crore with limiting expenditure to Rs 30 crore. He wholeheartedly congratulated the people for arranging the diamond jubilee celebration.
Deputy speaker N Yogish Bhat said the yearlong celebration should realize objectives and not be reduced mere symbolic one. The proposal for the land acquisition, to facilitate extension of runway, has been budgeted at Rs 15 crore and will be realized on public-private partnership basis within December, he said.
Pascal Pinto, NRI Forum, Kuwait also handed over the memorandum to Veerappa Moily on the occasion.
MP Nalin Kumar Kateel anmd MLA Ramanath Rai among others were present.