The Hindu Business Line : New airport terminal at Madurai to be ready by next March

Madurai, April 27 The first international flight will take off from Madurai, the day the new integrated terminal is inaugurated, announced Mr Praful Patel, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Civil Aviation, in the presence of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Mr M. Karunanidhi.

The Chief Minister laid the foundation stone for the construction of a new integrated terminal at Madurai Airport here on Saturday.

Mr Patel, who presided over the function, said the new terminal at a cost of Rs 130 crore and designed to handle 500 passengers during peak hours, would be ready by March 2009 and would provide new direction and growth to the progress of the State. Out of 35 non-metro airports taken up across the country for upgradation, three airports are from Tamil Nadu. The development of the airport at Chennai to world class is a commitment to the State, he added.

The Chief Minister, who also laid the foundation stone for two IT parks — one at Ilandaikulam over 28.91 acres in Madurai North Taluk and 239.58 acres at Vadapalanji in Madurai South Taluk — both of which have been accorded SEZ status by the Government of India, said in his address that the State has accorded administrative sanction for additional acquisition of 614.33 acres of land for expansion of the Madurai airport at an estimated cost of Rs 110 crore. He suggested that while it was not a precondition, the Ministry could extend cooperation by sharing 50 per cent of the expenditure of the project.

Stating that the Centre and State have been working together for the development of the State, he said progress is visible and also assured that the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project would be completed.

Mr K. Ramalingam, Chairman, AAI, in his welcome address, said that customs and immigration facilities would be provided at the Madurai airport.

The groundwork for the expansion of Chennai airport has started and the airports at Madurai, Coimbatore and Tiruchi have been taken up among the 35 non-metro airports for development, he added.

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