Mangalore: Conversion of Old Airport to Cargo Terminal within Six Months

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Dec 19: Airports Authority of India (AAI) has given its nod to the proposal to convert the old airport terminal here into a cargo terminal within six months. It has, it is learnt, asked Mangalore Airport management to execute civil works at a cost of Rs 35 lac to facilitate this change over.

The equipment owned by AAI and lying unused at Chennai airport subsequent to handing over the cargo maintenance there to a private operator will be shifted to the airport here.

The cargo terminal here will be fully mechanized one, with machines like fork lift machine, large-scaled trolleys, x-ray baggage machines etc. Once these machinery items are installed and customs clearance is obtained, the new cargo terminal will become functional.

The cargo terminal, once it begins operations, has to handle at least 150 tonnes of cargo every month, as against 150 tonnes on average per year the local airport has been able to handle till now. Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry has given an assurance to ensure that the revised load parameters would be met.

The new facility will add to the financial burden of AAI, in the form of salary of customs employees, salary of employees of the authority, providing basic amenities like stock rooms, refrigerators etc, totaling to Rs 60 to 70 lac per month. This cost is proposed to be set off against the fee charges for handling cargo. 

Director of the airport, M R Vasudeva, said that if everything moves ahead as planned, a full-fledged cargo terminal will become operational here within the next six months.