Kerala capital gets new air terminal

Thiruvananthapuram: Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh yesterday declared open the new terminal of the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, giving a boost to the air travel convenience of non-resident Keralites and tourists.

The glass-and steel structure reportedly has the capacity to handle 1.8 million passengers per annum, and features aero-bridges and architecturally-attractive lounges.

Prime minister Singh said the federal government was aiming to make Kerala a transport hub, and that projects like the Vallarpadam Container Transshipment Terminal that he inaugurated on Thursday in Kochi and the new terminal of the airport in Thiruvananthapuram were examples of the federal government's commitment to the state.

Air India repair facility

Federal civil aviation minister Vayalar Ravi offered another pleasant news for Keralites when he said at the inaugural function that the headquarters of Air India's budget airline, Air India Express would be shifted soon from Mumbai to Kochi. This is considered a logical move, owing to the fact that Keralites constitute the largest users of the budget airline, particularly from Gulf destinations. Air India is also setting up a repair and maintenance facility near the airport in Kochi.

The airport terminal inauguration function also touched a sore note when chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan alleged during the inauguration that the federal authorities were neglecting Kerala. "Just as at the inauguration of the Vallarpadam Container Transshipment Terminal, the state government was neglected by the federal authorities here, too," he said.

"Neglect is alright, the important thing is the realisation of the project," he added.

The chief minister's grievance was aired at the inaugural function in the presence of the prime minister. Achuthanandan was apparently miffed that his name did not find mention in the inaugural plaque unveiled at the new terminal of the airport.

On Thursday, two Left Democratic Front ministers, S. Sharma and Jose Thettayil had complained of neglect during the inaugural function of the Vallarapadam Container Transshipment Terminal in Kochi.