Pics by Ramesh Pandith
Daijiworld Media Network
Mangalore, Oct 30, DHNS: Let no misconceptions prevail with regard to the Mangalore Airport as it is a ‘DGCA Licensed’ airport, the runway has been constructed with the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) norms inclusive of RESA (Runway End Safety Area) and it is eligible to be declared as an International Airport, said Union Minister of Corporate Affairs Dr M Veerappa Moily.
He was speaking after inaugurating the two-day workshop on ‘Table top airports and safety aspects’ organised by National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK) and Mangalore Airport Diamond Jubilee Celebration Committee.
The present runway is 8000 ft and 205 acres of land is provided by the state government for extension of the runway. The runway needs to be extended to 9500 ft, said Moily. The total estimated cost for the extension of runway, construction of part parallel taxiway and link taxiway is Rs 51 crores and the proposal is likely to put up to AAI board for approval, he said.
The administrative approval and expenditure sanction for construction of new control tower cum technical block at Mangalore Airport for an amount of Rs 26.57 crores has been obtained.
The new air traffic control tower is under construction and will be ready in 18 months, he said and added that there are plans to convert the old terminal building for international and domestic cargo operation.
Speaking on the aviation industry today, he said that it is growing steadily and bears a strong correlation with the overall economic growth. The industry has been accounted for approximately 1.7 per cent of world GDP with over 1.1 trillion USD in turnover. Approximately 25 per cent of the value trade in manufactured goods is being transported by air. The air freight has increased by 65 per cent in 10 years and domestic fights has grown faster that the international flights in last five years, he said.
Airports Authority of India, Southern Region, Regional Executive Director D Devaraj said that Mangalore Airport can handle Airbus 320 type of aircraft at present. AAI always pays more attention to safety. Every airport will have an annual study, surveillance study and technical study, he said.
Mangalore Airport Director M R Vasudeva said that there are several misconceptions about the airport after the crash. “There is absolutely no problem in the airport. There is no need to fear unnecessarily. All misconceptions can be dispelled,” he stressed.
NITK Director Professor Sandeep Sancheti said very few cities can boast of all modes of transport such as air, water, rail and road and Mangalore is one of them. Many of the places which house IITs have an airport as this plays an important role, he said.
NMPT Deputy Director T S N Murthy said there is a need to remove the fear of air travel. As many as 30,000 airplanes have touched the Mangalore runway, he said.