The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Demand to rename airport after Sri Chitra Tirunal

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Monday, Oct 29, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Demand to rename airport after Sri Chitra Tirunal

Staff Reporter

Thiruvananthapuram: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, a premier airport in the State, should be renamed after Sri Chitra Tirunal, ruler of the erstwhile Travancore state, says the Sree Chitra International Foundation.

In a statement here, the Foundation has pointed out that renaming the airport as Sri Chitra International Airport was a long pending demand of the citizens of the capital. The Foundation has decided to put pressure on the civil aviation authorities and the Union government to rename the airport.

The Foundation has also decided to take up with the Prime Minister and the government, the neglect of the airport over the years and to initiate steps to develop the international airport to world-class standards.

The Kerala Association of Travel Agents has urged the State government and MP’s from the State to take immediate steps to review the ongoing development activities at the airport, including construction of the world-class terminal. The Airport Advisory Committee headed by the local MP and under the control of the Union Civil Aviation Ministry has not met for three years. The inability to convene the meeting has affected the development of the airport, association president K. V. Muralidharan and the general secretary, Channankara M.P. Kunju said in a joint statement.

Although developmental works to the tune of Rs.254 crore were being implemented by the Airports Authority of India, the Civil Aviation Department has not bothered to hold discussion with either the MP or the local councillor. The Association has alleged that the decision to bring the airport under the Regional Executive Director, Southern Region, based in Chennai will affect the development works in a big way. It has been pointed out that the world-class terminal, on completion, will be able to handle 12 lakh passengers. The passenger movement through the airport which was 18 lakhs now, will touch 20 lakhs by then, they said.

Trivandrum Residents Apex Council has expressed concern over the move to bring the airport under the administrative control of Regional Executive Director, AAI, Chennai. TRAC president Amaravila Krishnan Nair said the decision has come at a time when the development works were on.

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