Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, May 21: The worst air tragedy the city witnessed will be completing six years on Sunday May 22. The crash of Air India Express flight from Dubai, which smashed into the ground during landing, had taken away lives of 158 persons. Investigations have concluded that pilot error was to blame for the tragedy.

Many issues relating to this crash remain unresolved. Several families of the crash victims, dissatisfied with the compensation offered, had formed an organization and approached court. The then civil aviation minister, Praful Patel, had promised to extend the runway at the international airport from 8,000 to 9,000 feet to conform to international standards. However, the runway remains at 8,000 feet, as the state government has not acquired the land required for this expansion.

Director of the airport, J T Radhakrishna, confirmed that details of land required to be acquired have been sent to the state government, and that works on the runway extension can be taken up only after the land is handed over to Airport Authority of India Ltd.

The then chief operating officer of Air India, Chandrakumar, who had visited the city on the first anniversary of the tragedy, had promised to set up community hall, library, and health centre in Malavoor gram panchayat where the crash happened, in memory of the victims. He had announced that 90 percent of the cost of these project s would be borne by Air India. His suggestion that the remaining ten percent should be borne by the local gram panchayat had received favourable response from the panchayat. However, Air India has done nothing to fulfil this promise, it is gathered.

During the identification of bodies after the disaster, it had become impossible to establish the identifies of 12 mortal remains. These bodies had been buried at a spot located by the side of road leading to Tannirbavi beach. The district administration has been building a park here, which has been named '22/5 Park' signifying the date of the tragedy. Plants and trees are being grown here and the project, being implemented at a cost of Rs 30 lac in 90 cents land belonging to New Mangalore Port Trust, also proposed installation of a statue.