The Hindu : Front Page : Madurai airport upgrade promised

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Sunday, Apr 27, 2008
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Madurai airport upgrade promised

S. Sundar

— Photo: K. Ganesan

PRESSING THE BUTTON: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi laying the foundation for the new integrated terminal building at the Madurai airport on Saturday. Union Shipping Minister T.R. Baalu and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel are in the picture.

MADURAI: The Tamil Nadu government had given administrative sanction to acquire 614.33 acres of land to expand the Madurai airport, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said, laying the foundation stone for a terminal building here on Saturday.

The government had requested the Civil Aviation Ministry to share the cost of Rs 110 crore for the acquisition. Cost-sharing was not a pre-condition, but the government expected the Ministry to extend “50 per cent cooperation for the project.”

Stating that the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project could have become a reality by last year but for hindrance created by certain forces, the Chief Minister said similar obstacles could crop up for the airport also. “People would try to stall this also in the interest of the poor and farmers,” he said with a tinge of sarcasm.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the government were ready to go all out, even by laying down lives, to aid farmers. Mr. Karunanidhi said the country required necessary infrastructure to face global competition in future.

On the country’s development under the United Progressive Alliance regime, he said: “The sun [the DMK] is giving light for the world and the ‘hand’ [the Congress] has lit it.” He sought support from the “hammer and sickle” [the Left parties] too.

Praful Patel, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, promised that the Madurai airport would become an international one. “The day the terminal is inaugurated an international flight will land here.” Stating that Tamil Nadu was the only State to get three airports out of 35 non-metro airports that were being upgraded or modernised, he attributed it to the efforts of the Chief Minister.

Airports Authority of India Chairman K. Ramalingam said the groundwork for the expansion of the Chennai airport had begun; work would start soon.

The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone for two information technology parks that would come up at Ilanthaikulam and Vadapalanji on the city’s outskirts. The Union government has accorded special economic zone status for both.

The park at Ilandaikulam is to be on 28.91 acres and the one at Vadapalanji on 239.58 acres. ELCOT will develop an IT building with an area of one million square feet in 10 acres of land at a cost of Rs. 300 crore on public-private partnership basis. It will develop common infrastructure at a cost of Rs. 30 crore.

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