'Mangalore can plan sky bus to SEZ'

Oscar Fernandes, Union minister of state for statistics, programme implementation, sports, youth and NRI affairs said here that he has spoken to the minister concerned to convert Mangalore Airport into a custom-bound international airport for handling foreign traffic and that he was willing to come down to Mangalore to make the necessary announcement.

He said that the sky bus project, connecting the Mangalore Airport to the Special Economic Zone could be planned now itself without waiting for cities like Bangalore to start work on similar projects.

Action would be taken to relax the CRZ which is hampering the growth of the coastal region. However, CRZ does not apply to industries, he pointed out.

"We will have a good swimming pool in Mangalore so that athletes do not have to go all the way to Bangalore to practise," he promised. He also wanted the chamber to secure support of the local people to hold national sports meets in Mangalore. He also said that the request of the chamber to have an international stadium at Mangalore will be looked into.

The Mangalore-Hassan guage conversion work will be completed soon he said and added that the plea of the Chamber to establish an Employees Provident Fund Tribunal in Karnataka would be discussed with the Minister concerned.

Addressing the members of the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry on developmental projects of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, he however said that a full fledged passport office could not be established here "as there is no enough work as per their standards".

As per the chambers request he obliged to give a boost to tourism in the two districts. He invited the members of the chamber to the meet organised by Prasar Bharati at Hyderabad January 7-9 and chalk out a plan for the same. He urged the chamber to talk to the infrastructure minister and see that a presentation is made.

He also assured the Chamber of using his good office to ensure that Volkswagen comes to Mangalore as they have already been here for a feasibility study N Vinaya Hegde, Chairman, Lamina Group and the Nitte Education Trust was also felicitated on the occasion.