'Extension of airport may require Rs. 250 crore'
The extension of Mangalore Airport runway is a Herculean task and it may require about Rs 200 - 250 crore to complete the project, said Mangalore Airport Director M R Vasudev.
He was speaking to reporters at an interaction programme organised by the Mangalore Press Club here on Tuesday. He said that a valley of about 1,000 metre length, 500 metre width and 45 metre depth will have to be filled to extend the existing 8,000 feet runway. “The Airport Authority of India (AAI) alone cannot take up the project on its own considering the current income of the Mangalore Airport. Hence, the participation of the State government is necessary to take up the project,” Vasudeva said and added that about 10 families will have to be rehabilitated to implement the project.
Operations Control Centre
An Airport Operations Control Centre with enhanced IT systems integrated with operational data base will be established at the Mangalore Airport soon by the AAI, Vasudev said.
“Tenders have been invited to construct a technical block for the Air Traffic Control (ATC) Centre at an estimated cost of Rs 26 crore at the old terminal. The work will be commenced in August and the control and the radar service will be shifted to the new block after the completion of the work,” he said.
Talking about the proposal of cargo terminal, Vasudev said, “the Mangalore airport has already been declared as the Customs Airport in May, 2006. The proposal of setting up a cargo terminal has already been discussed with the Commissioner of Customs and it has been forwarded to the Union Ministry of Finance too.”
However, he said, at present only three - four tonnes of cargo can be handled at the airport, which is not feasible as the AAI has to make the payment as salary of the customs officials on duty at the centre. If the airport could handle at least 20 tonnes of cargo, then the centre can be made profitable, he said adding, “AAI is in negotiation with the Customs authorities so that the salary of customs officials on duty at the cargo terminal will be paid by them directly,” he added.
Coast Guard base
A portion of the old terminal of the Mangalore Airport will be handed over to the Coast Guard to set up a mid point air base, Vasudev informed.
“At present, the Coast Guard has base in Kochi and Goa. The Defence Ministry had cleared the proposal and the process of handing over the space will commence soon.
Once the base was opened, two Donier aircraft and Chetak helicopters of the Coast Guard will be stationed in Mangalore Airport,” he added.
SpiceJet from M’lore
Vasudev said that the SpiceJet Airlines has requested the AAI to give permission to introduce domestic flights to Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi from the Mangalore Airport.
Flight services may be commenced by May this year, he added.
Dakshina Kannada District Working Journalists’ Association Vice-President Guruvappa Balepuni presided.
60th anniversary
Vasudev said that the Mangalore Airport terminal at Kenjar will be decorated with colourful electric lamps as part of the 60th anniversary of the airport and the centinary celebrations of the Civil Aviation on February 18.