It's official: Mangalore Airport is now 'INTERNATIONAL'

[email protected] (CD Network, Photos by Ahmed Anwar)
October 4, 2012
Mangalore, October 4: The long wait for the international status for Mangalore Airport has finally come to an end with the Union Cabinet officially declaring five domestic airports in the country as 'International Airports on Thursday.
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After the crucial cabinet meeting Finance Minister P Chidambaram told media persons in New Delhi that Cabinet approved the declaration of five international airports: Mangalore, Lucknow, Varanasi, Tiruchirapalli and Coimbatore.

The conversion of a domestic airport into an international one primarily entails creation of immigration facilities and deploying manpower to carry out these tasks.


Overjoyed by the international status, Mangalore Airport director MR Vasudeva, who will be retiring this month end, said that it had been a dream to see the Airport as International Aairport by the time he retires. “I'm happy that it's finally happened.''

He said that all the facilities required for declaring the Airport as International one like the terminal building, aerobridges, runway length for larger aircraft like Airbus 310 are available at the Airport. In many smaller countries most airports are international airports, so the concept of an "international airport'' sometimes has little meaning. “We have all world-class standards as required by ICAO/IATA”, he said.


Mangalore Airport was a customs aerodrome till now and Air India Express was operating flights to international destinations in the Middle East. Now foreign aircraft can operate since it is an international airport. The passenger will benefit with competitive fares and more destinations, probably starting with direct flights to South East Asia or Europe on a hub-and-spoke arrangement via Dubai.

Of the 9.29 lakh passengers handled by Mangalore Airport for the year ending June 2012, 2.5 lakh were international passengers.

The 61-year old Airport has seen tremendous growth from its first flight, a single cargo-cum-passenger Dakota plane in 1951 to modern Boeings and Airbuses. The Mangalore Airport was the first airport in the state to have two runways and one of which was fully concrete.

Prime Minister Jawaharlal Lal Nehru had arrived by the maiden flight to Bajpe in 1951 at the instance of the architect of the modern Dakshina Kannada, Ullal Srinivas Mallya.

The first runway is 5,330 feet and the transformation started when the second runway of 8,045 feet was commissioned in 2006. This also saw the landing of the first international aircraft from Dubai and the Airbus from private players and also by Indian.

The airport suffered losses till 2005-06. For the year 2011-12, its operating profits touched Rs 9.5 crore, including deprecation, from a meagre profit of Rs 83 lakh in 2006-07.


Union Minister for Corporate Affairs and Power M Veerappa Moily had recently said that he would see to it that Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh would inaugurate the International Airport by month end.

There are 454 airports and airstrips in the country of which the state-run Airports Authority of India (AAI) owns and manages 97 airports and 28 civil enclaves at defence airfields. Only 16 of them had been designated as international airports in the past. There are several other airports designated as 'limited international', for a restricted number of global flights from there.

The government plans to have 500 operational airports by 2020 and aims to attract private investment in aviation infrastructure to meet this end.


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News Network
September 16,2024

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Mangaluru: Police have arrested five miscreants belonging to saffron outfits for pelting stones at a masjid at Katipalla near Surathkal on the outskirts of the city last night. 

The arrested have been identified as Bharat, Chennappa, Nitin, Manu and Sujit all residents of Surathkal and surrounding areas. Among them, Bharat is said to be a rowdy sheeter. 

The miscreants, who came on two motorbikes late on Sunday night, pelted stones at Masjidul Huda, located at 3rd block of Katipalla on the eve of Miladunnabi.  

Confirming the incident, City Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal said that investigation is in progress and a case has been registered at Surathkal police station.

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coastaldigest.com news network
September 16,2024

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Mangaluru, Sept 16: In a heartwarming display of communal unity, members of Hindu and Christian communities celebrated Eid Milad—marking the birth of Prophet Mohammed—by distributing sweets and refreshments to their Muslim neighbors in Dakshina Kannada.

In Boliyar, near Konaje on the outskirts of Mangaluru, members of the local organization Geleyara Balaga surprised participants in the Eid Milad procession with an offering of sweets and cold drinks. 

The gesture of goodwill was led by Manoj, Sheena Poojary, Denis Lily, Sanat, Lokanath, Satish, Praveen, Madhu, and Valentine. Abdul Rahman, the khateeb of Boliyar Juma Masjid, expressed heartfelt gratitude for this act of kindness.

In a similar display of solidarity, a group of Hindus, draped in saffron shawls, distributed sweets and drinks to those partaking in the Eid Milad procession at Mani village, Bantwal taluk.

These acts of generosity highlighted the spirit of harmony and togetherness among different communities, celebrating the true essence of the festival.

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News Network
September 20,2024

Udupi: A vigilant Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable, Aparna K T, demonstrated remarkable presence of mind when she rescued a student who slipped while trying to board a moving train at Udupi Railway Station on Friday morning.

The incident occurred as passenger train number 06602 arrived at the station around 7:30 AM. The student, traveling from Mangaluru to Gokarna, had briefly alighted to purchase snacks. However, as the train began moving, she hurried back towards the carriage with the snacks in hand. In her rush, she lost her footing, slipping dangerously between the platform and the moving train.

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Woman constable Aparna K T was given a cash reward of Rs 5000.

 

Constable Aparna, who had been closely monitoring the passengers, immediately sprang into action. “I saw her running towards the train and alerted everyone by blowing my whistle. She slipped, and her legs were caught between the platform and the train. Without hesitation, I pulled her out with the help of others nearby,” she recalled.

Thanks to Aparna’s quick thinking and the swift response of the railway staff, the train was stopped in time. Railway personnel, including the guard and loco pilot, were immediately informed, and they acted promptly to halt the train using both flag signals and a walkie-talkie.

RPF Inspector Madhusoodhanan PV arrived at the scene shortly after to check on the passenger's condition. The shaken but uninjured student was given water and helped back onto the train to safely continue her journey.

In an added measure of care, the RPF post at Bhatkal was notified to follow up on the passenger’s well-being during her journey. The student, fortunately, reached her destination without further incident.

The heroic rescue was captured on CCTV and has since gone viral on social media, earning widespread praise. In recognition of her bravery, Regional Railway Manager (RRM) Karwar awarded Constable Aparna a cash reward of ₹5,000, commending her quick action that averted a potentially tragic accident.

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