Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (RJP)

Mangaluru, Jun 10: Survey is being conducted to decide the possibility of opening an additional airport between Udupi and Mangaluru, said R V Deshpande the minister for large & medium industries and infrastructure development.

He was answering to a question raised by Captain Ganesh Karnik in Legislative Council, on Friday June 9.

“In a meeting held between chief secretary from the state government and chairman of Airports Authority of India (AAI) on June 1, it was decided that a survey will be conducted first on the possibility of runway extension on an area of 33 kilometres at the existing Mangaluru International Airport. Then a survey will be conducted on the possibility of having an additional airport in between Udupi and Mangaluru,” Deshpande said.

“A proposal of restructuring of Mangaluru International Airport on an additional area of 286 acres has been submitted to AAI. As the airport comes under, AAI, it has to take a final call on this matter. AAI has opined that it is difficult to acquire 286 acres of land. AAI also proposed four alternative plans. When the state government studied these four proposals, all looked impractical. Ultimately it was decided to carry out survey on the possibility of runway extension on 33 acres land and opening of additional airport between two coastal cities.” Deshpande added.

“Restructuring and extension of runway at Mangaluru airport has been abandoned. Meanwhile an international airport will come up in Kannur in Kerala. This will have adverse effect on the number of passengers using Mangaluru airport.” said Captain Karnik during the discussion.

“There are only flights to Gulf countries from Mangaluru. If Kannur airport becomes operational, then Mangaluru airport may service only the passengers flying to Bengaluru as it will have tough competition from Kannur airport. Hence Mangaluru airport should be properly developed fully and runway extension should be implemented at the earliest,” said MLC Ivan D’Souza.