Govt to encourage pvt participation in cargo handling: Patel

Ahmedabad, Jan 21 (UNI) Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel today said the government will encourage joint efforts with the private sector to develop cargo handling facilities in all airports across the country.

''Today businesses are expanding and even farmers are looking to export their products like fruits, flowers etc that are perishable.

So we need to develop cargo facilities and cold storage mechanisms,'' he said.

This will enhance, both development and commercial gains, he said, while addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone of the new international terminal of the Ahmedabad airport.

Calling for Gujarat government's cooperation for expansion of airports in the state, he said investment in infrastructure can always be very rewarding for generations to come. ''A rail line was laid between Victoria Terminus to Thane 115 years ago, but crores of people have reaped benefits of it. So by not developing our infrastructure, we are being unfair to our future generations,'' he said, and added, ''Jahan, jahan airports banenge, wahan wahan vikas hoga (wherever, airports will be built, those places will definitely develop).'' Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Shankersingh Vaghela, Naran Rathwa and Dinsha Patel were also present on the occasion.

While Mr Modi called upon the Minister to develop Gujarat's airports as an alternative to Mumbai to ease congestion there, Mr Vaghela mooted for international cargo handling facilities at Surat and upgrading Rajkot to international stature.

Mr Dinsha Patel said Ahmedabad airport must have one more runway in view of increasing number of flights plying from here. The latter also called for direct connectivity to Africa as many Gujaratis live there and many others have to travel there for business purposes.

Earlier giving details about the new international terminal coming up here, Dr K Ramalingam, Chairman of the Airport Authority of India (AAI), said it is a Rs 290 crore project and will be complete by 2008. ''The costs are being totally met from inner resources of the AAI. It will cover an area of 27,200 sq metres,'' he said. It will be first airport in the country to have a travel link between the domestic and international terminals, he added.

Stating that Ahmedabad airport is a very well developed airport and all modern facilities of air traffic services, navigational and surveillance systems, he said its expansion work could not however be taken up in full swing as 67 acres of land acquisition has not materialised and called upon the Chief Minister to look into the matter. He also said upgradation work of Bhavnagar and Kandla ports are also being hampered by problems in aquisition of land.

He said even the Rajkot aiport expansion is being delayed because of non-availability of 37 acres land from the Indian Railway.

He urged Mr Modi to sanction AAI exemption of non-agriculture tax. ''We get land free of cost but have to make huge investments for the airports development,'' he added.

UNI