Bajpe airport declared as Customs airport

Mangalore, May 5 (UNI) As a first step towards declaring the Bajpe airport, near here, as an international airport, the Revenue Department has declared it as a customs airport with effect from May three, Airports Authority of India (AAI) Director Vasudeva informed today.

With this announcement, the much-delayed process of declaring the Bajpe airport as an international airport had begun and international air services from the airport were likely to commence from May 21, he told UNI.

Even after the completion of the 2.45 km stretch totally concretised runway at a cost of Rs 40 crore by the AAI, the Government had delayed in showing the green signal for setting up an immigration centre at the airport on the ground that there was inadequate trained personnel to man the centre.

However, a team, headed by State Home Secretary Sudhakar Rao, which visited the airport recently, assured to provide the staff required for the immigration centre.

Mr Vasudeva said the airport had received ten computers and other materials and these would be installed at the immigration centre today.

UNI MA RG HVB1802