MANGALORE: Union Minister for Corporate Affairs and Power M Veerappa
Moily said that the proposal to grant the international tag to Bajpe
airport will come for approval before the Union cabinet on Thursday.
Speaking to press persons, he said that the proposal to declare Mangalore as international airport will be approved at the Union Cabinet meeting tomorrow. When the union minister was here a few days back, Moily had said he would see to it that the tag would be granted by October end. -I will also see to it that Union Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh will inaugurate the International Airport by month end,- he added.
Bajpe airport director MR Vasudeva was over joyed with the news. He will be retiring this month end. He said that it was his dream to see the airport as international airport by the time he retired. -I�m happy that it's happening'', he announced.
The Bajpe Airport was 61-year old and has seen a tremendous growth from its first flight, a single cargo-cum-passenger Dakota planes in 1951 to modern Boeings and Airbuses.
It was the first airport in the state to have two runways, one of which was fully concrete. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Lal Nehru had arrived by the maiden flight to Bajpe in 1951 at the insistence of the architect of the modern Dakshina Kannada, Ullal Srinivas Mallya.
The airport was under loss till 2005-06. For the year 2011-12, its operating profits touched Rs 9.5 crore, including deprecation, from a meager profit of Rs 83 lakh in 2006-07
The revolution in the Mangalore airport was witnessed when the second runway of 8,045 feet, with the first being 5,330 feet, was commissioned in 2006. This also saw the landing of the first international aircraft from Dubai and the airbus from Indian as well as private players. - SO
Speaking to press persons, he said that the proposal to declare Mangalore as international airport will be approved at the Union Cabinet meeting tomorrow. When the union minister was here a few days back, Moily had said he would see to it that the tag would be granted by October end. -I will also see to it that Union Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh will inaugurate the International Airport by month end,- he added.
Bajpe airport director MR Vasudeva was over joyed with the news. He will be retiring this month end. He said that it was his dream to see the airport as international airport by the time he retired. -I�m happy that it's happening'', he announced.
The Bajpe Airport was 61-year old and has seen a tremendous growth from its first flight, a single cargo-cum-passenger Dakota planes in 1951 to modern Boeings and Airbuses.
It was the first airport in the state to have two runways, one of which was fully concrete. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Lal Nehru had arrived by the maiden flight to Bajpe in 1951 at the insistence of the architect of the modern Dakshina Kannada, Ullal Srinivas Mallya.
The airport was under loss till 2005-06. For the year 2011-12, its operating profits touched Rs 9.5 crore, including deprecation, from a meager profit of Rs 83 lakh in 2006-07
The revolution in the Mangalore airport was witnessed when the second runway of 8,045 feet, with the first being 5,330 feet, was commissioned in 2006. This also saw the landing of the first international aircraft from Dubai and the airbus from Indian as well as private players. - SO
