Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Monday, Oct 11, 2004
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Monday, Oct 11, 2004 |
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Logistics
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Airlines Industry & Economy - Infrastructure When will Mangalore's second runway take off? A. J. Vinayak
Though visualised in 1989, uncertainty remained over the implementation of the second runway project because the hurdles in acquiring land. In 1989, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) deposited Rs 50 lakh with the Karnataka Government for the land to be acquired for the runway. However, the land was handed over to the AAI only in September 2002. Nearly 190 acres have been acquired and still 140 acres are still needed for creating a full-fledged airport. The revenue authorities have notified the land required for acquisition. But the State Government is yet to release funds for acquisition. The delay in the release of funds is hampering the expansion work, as the people are unwilling to vacate unless alternative land is promised to them. According to civil aviation sources, nearly Rs 11 crore is to be released from the Government for the land acquisition. Considering the need for the early completion of the runway project, the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has written to the Karnataka Government to expedite release of funds for land acquisition.
The existing runway, 5330 ft long, can handle only Boeing-737 aircraft. Two aircraft can be accommodated in the apron (parking bay) of the airport. It is one of the three tabletop runways in India; Calicut and Leh being the other two. Because of its tabletop nature, night landing is not allowed on the runway. However, the new runway, 8050 ft long, can handle Airbus-310 aircraft, and four aircraft can be parked in the proposed apron. Business travel and tourism are the major contributors to the passenger traffic at the Mangalore airport. According to AAI sources, passenger traffic, which was 2.11 lakh in 1999, increased to 2.17 lakh in 2003. The construction of the new runway can help attract international flights, especially to West Asian countries, thus increasing the passenger traffic. A sizeable number of people from coastal Karnataka are employed in West Asia. People from Kannur and Kasaragod areas of northern Kerala, and Shimoga and Chikmagalur districts of Karnataka can also make use of the airport. At present, Indian Airlines, Jet Airways and Air Deccan together operate 35 flights a week on Mangalore-Mumbai and Mangalore-Bangalore routes. The second runway may help in introducing services to other domestic destinations. The KCCI has been demanding the construction of an air cargo complex at the airport to help the jasmine growers of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts despatch consignments to West Asia. The new runway, coupled with an air cargo complex, can boost the export of perishable commodities from the region. The business community of Mangalore says wants the present terminal building turned into a cargo complex and the new terminal be used to handle passenger traffic. The proposed new terminal is close to the Porkodi Railway station on the Konkan Railway network. The new terminal will also reduce the distance between the New Mangalore Port and the airport. As major industries are looking at coastal Karnataka to expand their activities, the early completion of the second runway may help attract more investments to the region.
More Stories on : Airlines | Infrastructure | Karnataka
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