Extend Mangaluru runway: Kanara Chamber to Govt.

The Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has urged the government to extend the runaway of the Mangaluru International Airport.

Addressing presspersons in Mangaluru on Wednesday, KCCI president PB Abdul Hameed said that there is a need to extend the length of the runway from the present 2,450 metres to 3,050 metres to enable wide-body aircraft to fly to Mangaluru, which is not the case now.

KCCI will put in all its efforts to see that the Karnataka government sanctions the extension of the runway. Stressing the need to install precision approach lighting system (PALS) at the airport’s runway, Hameed said PALS will enhance the safety of aircraft operations and make it safer in every aspect. At present, the airport runway is fitted with simple approach lighting system instead of PALS.

In the recent past, some aircraft had to be diverted to other airports during monsoon due to the poor runway visibility. One of the reasons quoted by many pilots is that the airport does not have PALS, he said, adding that PALS will help improve runway visibility.

The district administration has already provided land for PALS on either side of the runway, he said.

Urging the State government to introduce public transport facility to the airport, Hameed said the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) should introduce a bus service to the airport from Mangaluru and nearby areas on the lines of Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru.

Mangaluru airport caters to passengers from the neighbouring districts of Karnataka and Kerala, too. Air passengers from the areas such as Bhatkal, Kundapur, Manipal, Udupi in Karnataka, and Kasaragod in Kerala will be benefited if the KSRTC decides to operate bus from these areas to the airport, he added

HBL