Date:17/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/17/stories/2008101759750800.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Praful Patel’s pat for Hyderabad airport

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel has said that the manner in which the new Hyderabad and Bangalore airports came up within a period of three years did not happen in very advanced countries.

Local and environmental issues were a big obstacle to infrastructure building. However, airports at Hyderabad and Bangalore overcame these problems, he said inaugurating the international conference on `Indian aviation : scaling new heights’ as part of India Aviation 2008 here on Thursday.

Mr. Patel said the Hyderabad airport was not the greatest airport in the world though it was the first green field airport of the country. But, it showed the intention of the Government to build world class aviation infrastructure.

India would steal a march over other countries in building top class aviation infrastructure. The new airports coming up at Mumbai and New Delhi would just be the beginning of that march, he said.

A.Viswanath, Chief Commercial Officer, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited, said there was a 45 – 50 per cent growth in movement of international cargo at the new airport as compared to the old one.

M. Madhavan Nambiar, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, said recovery of investment on new airports was the biggest challenge of the government.