Mangalore, May 5: Ivan D’Souza, Congress leader and KPCC Secretary has condemned the act of cancellation of the Kuwait-Mangalore flights since March this year, he has suspected that a string between Kerala airport officials and the civil aviation department was acting behind the cancellation of the flights.
Communicating to reporters here on May 5, Monday, he also expressed his bitterness over the delay in extending the runway of the airport and the functioning of the cargo terminal at the airport which was not satisfactory. it was only earning Rs 30,000 a month as against the targeted Rs one lakh, he informed.
Response to the allegation:
Mangalore Airport Director JT Radhakrishna clarifying on the issue said, the Kuwait Mangalore flights had to be cancelled as the lease on borrowed flights had expired. He said he has already spoken to the Air India authorities and that a new deal of using flights on lease would be finalized within the next few months. He also clarified that he was doing everything possible on his part to rectify the issue and refuted the allegation that the airport officials were responsible for the loss incurred by cargo complex.
On the delay in the airport runway expansion works, the Airport Director said a letter written by Union Minister Veerappa Moily to Airport Authority of India states that an additional 285 acres land was required for the purpose.
