International status for Madurai airport will draw more tourists, pilgrims, says Union Minister
The Hindu
Union Minister announces Madurai airport's international status, boosting tourism, job creation, and economic growth in the region.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu on Saturday formally declared the Madurai airport an international airport and said India had catapulted itself into becoming one of the strongest financial countries because of the development of new airports by the Ministry of Civil Aviation in the last 12 years.
Speaking at the event, he said the three-decade-old rightful demand of the people of Madurai was fulfilled on March 10, when the Union Cabinet Committee, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, gave the permission to accord Madurai airport the status of an international airport.
Besides travel, airports were true economy-boosting growth centres, Mr. Rammohan said. “The Madurai airport will help tourists and pilgrims from various countries visit the city and its iconic Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple. Besides, the famous Madurai malli (jasmine) can be exported to different parts of the world. This will create more jobs. Similarly, hospitality, MSME, and agricultural sectors will get a big boost,” he added.
Mr. Rammohan asserted that every rupee spent on the development of an airport would result in manifold economic development.
The Madurai airport, which handled 6.7 lakh passengers 12 years ago, now handled 14 lakh passengers.
This growth was possible because the aviation sector had become more inclusive. While only the elite and upper classes were able to travel in flights in 2015, even the common man can opt for air travel today, he added. The number of airports in the country has increased from 74 in 2014 to 166 now.
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