Mangaluru Airport to get advanced security system, air navigation aids, more flight parking bays

Mangaluru, Sept 14: The Airports Authority of India’s Southern Regional Executive Director S Sreekumar today said that the Mangaluru International Airport will soon be equipped with the state-of-the-art and advanced air navigation aids and advanced security system.

Speaking to media persons, he said that the airport would have advanced instrument landing system (ILS), radar and Doppler VHF omni-directional radio range (DVOR) navigational aids. It would have threat containment vehicle to handle bombs and central air traffic flow management (CATFM) facility.

He said that the AAI has proposed to widen the safety basic strip of the runway and construct part parallel taxi track in the second phase at an estimated cost of Rs 121 crore. It required about 36 acres of land from the State government. The AAI is yet to get land and negotiations for getting it were on.

When this project was completed, the runway flight handling capacity would be increased from 10 flights an hour to 20. Widening the basic strip of the runway would enhance the safety of air operation to international standard.

Mr Sreekumar said that three more aircraft parking bays would be built in the airport at an estimated cost of Rs. 7 crore. It would help provide night parking facilities to airlines at the airport.

He said that when the expansion of the terminal building is completed, the arrival hall would be on the basement at the car parking level. The elevated level would be reserved for passengers leaving the city.

Earlier, he handed over a cheque for Rs. 6.75 crore to the State government for constructing storm-water drains at Malavoor village near the airport. Minister in-charge of Dakshina Kannada U.T. Khader received the cheque in the office of the Deputy Commissioner. Member of Parliament Nalin Kumar Kateel was present.

The AAI would bear the cost of construction as part of its corporate social responsibility. A memorandum of agreement was also signed between the AAI and the State government on the occasion. V.V. Rao, director of the airport, was present.