CHENNAI/SALEM: Salem airport, lying idle for seven years, saw a flurry of activity on Sunday when the first flight from Chennai arrived at the airport in Kamalapuram, about 15 km north-west of Salem.
Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and his Cabinet colleagues were among the passengers in the first direct flight that took off from Chennai to Salem on Sunday.
The Chief Minister and Union Minister of State for Finance and Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan flagged off the first service, by private carrier Trujet, operated by Hyderabad-based Turbo Megha Airways, between the two cities, at a function held in Salem.
This direct flight service was launched under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) of Centre’s UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagarik) scheme.
The flight, with a seating capacity of 72, will leave Chennai at 9.50 am and land at Salem airport at 10.40 am. The ATR 72-600 aircraft takes off from Salem at 11 am to reach Chennai at 11.50 am. The tickets are priced at Rs 1,499 per person.
“Air service is very important as it will facilitate the establishment of new industries which in turn lead to job creation and economic development,” Mr Palaniswami said. According to him, the Centre agreed to consider TN’s demand for air services at Thanjavur and Neyveli under UDAN.
“Salem and the towns around it will develop because of the flight service. Industries in Namakkal, Rasipuram and Erode areas will grow because of this,” Mr. Palaniswami, who hails from Salem, said.
Mr Radhakrishnan, Civil Aviation secretary R.N. Choubay and others participated in the inaugural function at Salem airport, which has been unused after the Kingfisher airlines stopped its service in 2011.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Radhakrishnan, said similar facilities would be launched in four cities in the State. “The Central government’s efforts had revived the flight service between Chennai and Salem. Plans are on to introduce a flight in the night too. Following Salem, direct flights from Chennai to Thanjavur and Hosur are being planned,” he said.
“Participated and given special address at Chennai- Salem under #UDAN RCS Air connectivity. Highlighted our Hon’ble PM’s vision on RCS Air connectivity. @sureshpprabhu @MoCA_GoI,” Mr. Radhakrishnan later tweeted.
Officials have renovated the terminal building at Salem, installed lights on the runway and other operational areas. They have also installed baggage scanner machines and posted a bomb-squad, fire and rescue services personnel on the airport premises. Recently, Trujet launched flights to Vijayawada from Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh after putting Hyderabad and Chennai from Kadapa on its map.
Kadapa airport director P Sivaprasad formally launched the services.
Today’s launch was the first in the state under UDAN scheme, Mr Palaniswami said and recalled the sops offered by the State government under the UDAN scheme, including a proposal to provide a 20 per cent viability gap funding. He said the State government would take steps to expand the Kamalapuram Airport and already the land acquisition process is underway across Tamil Nadu for expansion of airports.
The CM also announced that a green corridor between Salem and Chennai would soon commence at a cost of Rs 10,000 crore, which would help reduce the travel time from the present six to three hours.
