The Hindu
Mangalore, May 1: The Airports Authority of India has completed work on the new apron (parking stand for aircraft) pending shoulder works at Kenjar, near Bajpe airport, where its new terminal building is coming up.
The new apron can accommodate four Airbus 310 type aircraft and one Airbus 321 at a time, M.R. Vasudeva, Director, Mangalore (Bajpe) Airport told The Hindu. "The area of apron is approximately 43,000 square metres. It is ready," he said.
Shoulder works of apron and works on the taxiway connecting the apron with the new concrete runway will be completed in a fortnight. The total cost of the apron, shoulder works and taxi way is Rs. 18.19 crore, he said.
The new apron is part of the works being taken up under the modernisation of Bajpe Airport. Work on the new terminal building is under progress in an area covering 18,000 sq. mts. The total cost of the modernisation project is approximately Rs. 147 crore.
The AAI recently wrote to the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat to hand over Maravoor-Kenjar Road to it. This road connects the new terminal building site (Kenjar) with Mangalore-Bajpe Road at Maravoor.
This 900-mt-long 7.5 mt wide asphalted road is in bad condition. Presently the contractors executing the terminal building works use this road to transport light weight construction material to the site.
"If the State Government hands it over, we will widen this road to 9 metres and strengthen it. It will provide connectivity to the new terminal building from Mangalore city," Mr. Vasudeva said.
When contacted, a senior official at the zilla panchayat who did not want to be named said that the AAI’s request would have to be sent to the government. If the State Government gives its green signal, the road can be handed over.
A decision to this effect probably will be taken after the Assembly elections.
"We have handed over a small stretch of road in front of the Bajpe Airport to the AAI. This road is between entry and exit points outside the compound wall of the existing airport terminal building," he said.