'Civil aviation will play a crucial role'

Sonia lays foundation stone for Rajiv Gandhi International Airport

Sonia Gandhi, chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance, said the civil aviation is going to play a crucial role in the country's industrial and economic development.

She laid the foundation stone for the new greenfield international airport at Hyderabad on Wednesday. The new airport, which is expected to commence commercial operations in 2008, has been named after her late husband and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Speaking on the occasion, she said that apart from the development of new airports such as this, the existing small and medium level airport facilities in the country needed to be upgraded.

"There is a lot of development taking place in the field of civil aviation. Yet a lot needs to be done," she said.

Sonia also called for strengthening of air-connectivity across the country's rich cultural and tourist centres to ensure that the entire world could have a glimpse of India's heritage. This would also boost the tourism industry which provides employment to a large number of people, she said.

While recollecting her late husband's association with Hyderabad when he was a trainee pilot here, Sonia termed Rajiv Gandhi as the natural leader of the country's youth and said he dreamt of the 21st century with modern development bringing about a qualitative change in the lives of people.

"I see his impression in every aspect of today's development and in various walks of life," she said.

Praful Patel, Union minister of state for civil aviation said that the proposed international airport at Hyderabad will truly be the first world-class airport in India.

"Though other greenfield projects were cleared before the Hyderabad project, this is the first greenfield international airport to take off," he said, adding that similar efforts were being made in other parts of the country like Bangalore, Mumbai, and Ludhiana.

He said that 25 non-metro airports had been identified and taken up for upgradation. Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy urged the developers to complete the project within 30 months in view of the growing needs instead of 36 months as originally envisaged.