Direct flights between Mangalore-Sharjah from May 7

Mangalore, Apr 3 (UNI) Direct flight services between Sharjah and Mangalore will tentatively begin from May seven, according to sources at the Bajpe Airport here today.

Talking to UNI, the sources said civil works on the new 2.45 km totally concretised runway had already been completed at a cost of Rs 40 crore. Electrical equipment, being shipped from Korea, would reach Chennai by April 12 and all electrical works would be completed 14 days from then.

Provisions were also being made for customs and immigration at the airport before commencement of the flight service on the new runway. A joint survey team arrived at the airport today to reassess the additional manpower required for security purposes at the airport, including additional personnel required from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in view of the night flight service proposed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) at the airport.

The sources said flights would be operated between Mangalore and Sharjah four times a week and the flight timings were being worked out.

Referring to the additional land required by the AAI for the new terminal building, the sources said an additional 55 acres of land was required for the purpose and it would result in the evacuation of 76 families. While the government had agreed to provide consent award to these families, the latter were insisting on general consent, keeping the option for moving the court open, if need be.

The sources said the Bajpe Airport would soon have nine flight services a day as against the current five. The flight parking had also been increased to four from two, the sources added.

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