Surat industry clamours for a fully functional airport

Industrial units plan to approach Union civil aviation minister Praful Patel for starting a full-fledged airport in Surat.

The minister will attend a two-day national convention of the Nationalist Congress Party in Surat beginning Thursday. Congress president Sonia Gandhi is also expected to attend the convention.

"The fact that Surat, one of the fastest developing cities in the country, does not have a functional airport is sad. The existing airport and the air connectivity with Mumbai are only name-sakes," Rakesh Chaudhary, president, The South Gujarat Textile Exporters Association, said.

"We have been demanding a proper airport since a few years, but no one has taken the issue seriously," he added.

"With a population of over 30 lakh, Surat deserves to have air connectivity with major cities of the country. We intend to meet the aviation minister and get our point through to him," Chaudhary said.

Surat Diamond Association president Nanu Vanani, said: "Textiles and diamonds are the sectors which make the highest contribution towards the country's total exports. There is no airport in Surat, despite the fact that the city has taken giant leaps in industrial development, especially in textiles and diamonds, in the recent years. The Hazira belt has also come up in the outskirts of Surat."

"A functional airport, having national if not international connectivity, would give a thrust to development in Surat, and the south Gujarat region. We have no doubt that Surat would be among the most developed cities of the country if it is provided a proper airport," Vanani added.

A leading diamond exporter accused the Central government of doing injustice to Surat.

"The city contributes more than Rs 5,000 crore annually to the government exchequer through various taxes and duties. It is unbelievable that Surat does not have an airport, when several smaller cities have full-fledged airports. This is a case of grave injustice to Surat, but we hope that the Centre will realise its mistake, and take appropriate measures to fulfil the city's long pending demand," he said.

The Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry president Dilip Chasmawala said national air connectivity to Surat will give a thrust to the economic development of the region.

The representatives of the trade & industry of Surat would meet Praful Patel, Sonia Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, and others, with the demand, he added.

Air Deccan operates daily flights on the Mumbai-Surat-Mumbai route since November 2004. But the service is very irregular and the timings are hardly followed.

Air Deccan officials claim they are getting good traffic on the route, and have evinced interest in starting flights from Surat to other centres as well.

The work for expanding the runway of Surat airport is in progress. Airport officials believe that, once the renovation is complete, Surat will have one of the best airports Gujarat.