Our Correspondent

Madurai , Feb. 11

A delegation from the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, led by its President, Mr S. Rethinavelu, met the Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Mr Praful Patel, at New Delhi and submitted a memorandum on Madurai airport's expansion and modernisation scheme and the introduction of flights to New Delhi and Sri Lanka.

The memorandum, while drawing attention to the growing importance of the city in the South, points out that the facilities at the Madurai airport are inadequate. It also says that many years have passed since the allocation of Rs 35 crore for the airport expansion project. The project execution has suffered prolonged delay in the acquisition of land for the runaway extension. It says that, with the district administration handing over the land to to the Airport Authority of India, the project must be taken up and completed at the earliest.

The memorandum also talks about the export potential of vegetables and fruits from the districts of Madurai and Dindigul to foreign countries and the growing passenger traffic to Sri Lanka, West Asia and the far-eastern countries. It seeks the upgradation of the airport to an international airport.

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