Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Oct 21: Union minister for foreign affairs, S M Krishna, will flag off the first flight that will carry the passengers bound for the Haj pilgrimage from the city, on October 25.  The flights to Jeddah will continue to fly from October 25 to 30 from the local airport.

The first flight is scheduled to leave at 12.45 pm. In a press conference held here on Tuesday October 20, district vice president of the Congress Party, Ivan D'Souza, said that the district Congress Committee is grateful to union law minister M Veerappa Moily, foreign affairs minister S M Krishna, party leaders Oscar Fernandes, Janardan Poojary etc., for prevailing upon the central government to pave way for direct flights for the Haj pilgrims from the city.

He said that Moidin Bawa, president of the minorities unit of the party, had been trying for this flight to become a reality since some time. Delegations of the party too had met the union ministers and submitted memorandums in this connection, he stated. Ivan also revealed that the new  international terminal of the airport here will start functioning on a trial basis from November 1, and that the Prime Minister will dedicate it to the country in December. As S M Krishna has already promised to start a full-fledged passport office here, the proposed inauguration of the passport facilitation centre has been postponed, he added.

Congress leaders Moidin Bawa, T K Sudhir, D H Khader, Abbas, Pravin Alva and some others were present at the press conference.