Puducherry airport revamp moots 2,300m runway for A320s: Centre
A total of 402 acres will be needed for the expansion, said Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu
CHENNAI: The central government on Thursday said a master plan has been prepared for expanding the Puducherry airport, and that airlines are free to start services to new destinations like Kochi and Shirdi based on viability.
Responding to a question from Puducherry MP and President of Pradesh Congress Committee V Vaithilingam in the Lok Sabha, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu said the Airports Authority of India has drawn up a plan to upgrade the airport to handle Airbus A320 aircraft. This includes extending the runway to 2,300 metres in length and 45 metres in width. A total of 402 acres will be needed for the expansion: 217 acres in Tamil Nadu and 185 acres in Puducherry. The plan has been shared with the Puducherry government, he said.
At present, Puducherry airport has flights only to Hyderabad and Bangalore, the minister stated.
In response to a question whether the government would facilitate flights to Kochi and Shirdi, Naidu said the Indian aviation sector is deregulated following the repeal of the Air Corporation Act in March 1994. Airlines are free to pick their markets, decide their routes/networks based on commercial and operational feasibility.
