The Hindu Business Line : `Develop Tiruchi airport'

THE proposal of the Civil Aviation Ministry for improving the non-metro airports should include the Tiruchi Airport, is the consensus arrived at a meeting organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at Tiruchi, recently.

Other prerequisites identified are that the airport should be made a destination for Air India Express, to be floated soon as a subsidiary of the national carrier and the formation of District Tourism Promotion Council to tap the tourism potential in the region.

The participation at the interaction meeting included the representatives from the airline industry, airport officials, airliners and the travel agents.

The Tiruchi Airport Director, Mr S. Sreekumar, pointed out there was good scope for introduction of services to several South-East Asian, West Asian and a few domestic destinations from Tiruchi.

Citing that Tiruchi had the potential to be the focal point of a major tourism circuit in relation to religion and culture, he emphasised the need for sustained efforts to promote Tiruchi as a centre for medical/health tourism. He regretted that while the airport is receiving attention in terms of development, expeditious completion of projects has suffered due to want of powerful lobbying and political pressure.

While the Deputy General Manager (Engineering), Airport Authority of India, Tiruchi Airport, Mr D. Rajagopal, outlined the ongoing development works at the airport, the Area Marketing Manager of the Indian Airlines (IA), Mr T.H. Radhakrishnan suggested the formation of a core committee to pursue the issues relating to infrastructure development with the CII giving the lead.

The Chairman of the CII, Tiruchi Zone, Mr P.V. Kannan, assured to follow up the matter with the political representatives, the sources added.

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