TN CM reviews airport expansion with civil aviation sec, AAI

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami today reviewed the airport expansion projects in the state and said that once completed it will lead to handling of more wide-body aircrafts.
Palaniswami met Civil Aviation Secretary Rajiv Nayan Choubey, Airport Authority of India (AAI), chairman, Dr Guruprasath Mohapatra at the secretariat here and discussed the status of the projects.
During the meeting, the progress of airport development, land acquisition for the expansion of Chennai, Coimbatore, Salem Tiruchirapalli, Madurai and Tuticorin airports, were reviewed, an official release said.
Palaniswami emphasised that once the airports are expanded, it will lead to handling of more wide-body aircrafts which will in turn ease mobility, create employment and promote business.

He also reviewed the flight connectivity services at Salem, Hosur, Neyveli and Ramanathapuram and the possibility of Vellore airport becoming functional.
State Minister for Municipal Administration S P Velumani, AAI, director, Venkatramana Hegde; Chief Secretary, Girija Vaithyanathan and other senior government officials also attended the meeting, the release added.

Recently, Palaniswami laid the foundation stone for setting up of an aerospace park in neighbouring Kancheepuram district which is expected to attract Rs 1,000 crore worth of investments and help create more than 30,000 jobs in five years.
Last month, during his brief visit to the Chennai airport, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Jayant Sinha said, the annual passenger traffic at the airport was set to increase from the current 20 million to 35 million in the coming years.

"The Centre is working on a plan for greenfield airports in Chennai for which around 2,000 acre of land has to be provided by the Tamil Nadu government, he had said.