Madurai Airport going International !!

The city has seen a sudden surge in air traffic, a whopping 82.3 percent growth, way ahead of all the other 11 airports in the four states of southern region from April 2006 to March 2007.While industry analysts attribute this to the emergence of Madurai as a favourite destination for IT investors after Bangalore and Chennai, the AAI is in the process of equipping the airport with facilities which will take it to the next level of development - an international airport.Currently, Madurai-bound international passengers continue to undergo the hardship of having to go via Tiruchy or Chennai.

Nevertheless, the AAI has kicked off a Rs 70-crore short-term augmentation project, which involves increasing the length of the runway to 9,000 feet, expansion of aprons to accommodate four aircraft and linking of the terminal building for baggage clearance. In addition, an integrated terminal building will be constructed, said K Ramalingam, regional executive director, Southern Region, AAI.This will enable the authority to equip the airport to meet further increase in passenger and aircraft traffic necessiated by IT investments.

The AAI had also asked for 500 acres from the State Government to extend the runway as the already available space was used to the maximum, he added.As the airport caters to the needs of residents of Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Theni, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts, there have been demands to start international services, especially to Gulf countries and South East Asia.

Special action to clear Pending passport's

A double shift system has been introduced at the Tiruchi Regional Passport Office as part of a special drive to clear pending passport applications.The average time taken for issue of fresh passports will be reduced to 30 days, from the date of application, by October. Currently, fresh passports are issued in about 68 days and this would come down to 50 days by the end of this month, the Passport Officer S. Balachandran told The Hindu on Wednesday.

The office has started issuing tokens from 7.30 in the mornings so that applicants need not have to wait in long queues to enter the office for submission of applications and payment of fees. “All public transactions will be completed by 1.30 p.m. so that the rest of the afternoon is exclusively used for back-office operations,” Mr. Balachandran said. Additional staff has been deployed at the counters for the purpose. Eight data entry operators will be recruited shortly to expedite the issue of passports.Online system

In an attempt to encourage applicants to use the online system of filing applications, the Passport Office has persuaded a couple of ex-servicemen, who are authorised to fill-up the application forms on behalf of the applicants in front of the office, to purchase laptop computers through which they would assist the candidates to file their applications. Applicants can file the applications online with the help of the ex-servicemen and appear at the office the same day for verification of certificates along with the print outs of the registration numbers. The system, to be introduced soon, would reduce the queue and the workload of the Passport Office employees as the data is directly uploaded on to the computers.

The office, which issued three lakh passports last year, has issued 1.22 lakh passports so far this year. Passports have been issued with respect to all eligible applications received by the office till May 3, 2007.

New Airport Planned near Chennai !!

THE TAMIL Nadu government has opted for a greenfield airport near Chennai, even while deciding to expand the existing airport in the city. The move, which ends several months of speculation over the possible solution to the vexed airport issue both socially and politically, is a result of the Legislative Party Leaders’ meet, which barring the opposition AIADMK, passed a resolution paving the way for the government to initiate further steps. Announcing the outcome of the meet, Tamil Nadu chief minister, Mr M Karunanidhi said the new greenfield airport will come up in Sriperumbudur and Thiruvallur taluks. The existing airport at Meenambakkam in the city too will be expanded, he added. The expansion of the existing airport would be taken up by acquiring the required land in Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Kerugambakkam and Tharapakkam, coming under Sriperumbudur taluk, the chief minister told reporters here on Tuesday.

The greenfield airport is expected to come up on 4,820.66 acres. On the other, the expansion of the existing Chennai airport will be carried out on 1,069.99 acres at an estimated cost of Rs 2,000 crore, Mr Karunanidhi said. He said, the work for both the expansion and the greenfield airports will be entrusted to the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The state government will provide suitable compensation to 947 households likely to be affected by these projects. It will also work out a rehabilitation plan for the affected. Mr Karunanidhi said that all the parties, including the PMK, MDMK and the DMDK supported the resolution. However, the opposition AIADMK did not support the resolution. Mr D Jayakumar, who represented the AIADMK at the meeting, submitted a memorandum to the chief minister to reconsider the proposal as people in certain places have raised objections to the project. He said the land acquisition was estimated to cost Rs 1,000 crore. The construction would need an investment of another Rs 1,000 crore, he said.

Special Trains to Madurai & Tuticorin

Southern Railway is to run special trains to Madurai and Tuticorin to clear extra rush of passengers.

Chennai Egmore-Madurai Specials: Train (0609) will leave Egmore at 11 pm on May 19 and reach Madurai at 9 am the next day. Train (0606) will leave Madurai at 11 pm on May 20 and arrive Egmore at 9 am the next day.

Train (0605) will leave Egmore at 11.30 pm on May 23 and reach Madurai at 9.30 am the next day. Train (0628) will leave Madurai at 6.45 pm on May 25 and arrive Egmore at 4.30 am the next day. Train (0627) will leave Egmore at 11 pm May 28 and arrive Madurai at 9 am the next day. Train (0632) will leave Madurai at 11 pm on May 29 and arrive Egmore at 9.45 am the next day. Train (0631) will leave Egmore at 11.30 pm on June 1 and reach Madurai at 9.30 am the next day. Train (0610) will leave Madurai at 11 pm on June 3 and arrive Egmore at 9 am the next day

Chennai Egmore-Tuticorin Specials: Train (0619) will leave Egmore at 11 pm on May 21 and reach Tuticorin at 12.15 pm the next day. Train (0620) will leave Tuticorin at 9 pm on May 22 and arrive Egmore at 9 am the next day. Train (0629) will leave Egmore at 8.15 pm on May 26 and arrive Tuticorin at 9.30 am the next day. Train (0630) will leave Tuticorin at 9.30 pm on May 27 and arrive Egmore at 9.40 am the next day. Train (0633) will leave Chennai Egmore at 8.15 pm on May 30 and reach Tuticorin at 9.30 am the next day. Train (0604) will leave Tuticorin at 9.30 pm on May 31 and arrive Egmore at 9.40 am the next day. Advance reservation for the above trains will commence on May 18, according to a Southern Railway press release.

WelcomHeritage eyes Madurai !!

WELCOMHERITAGE, a joint venture between ITC Hotels and Marudhar Hotels of Jodhpur, is looking at expanding its presence in south India. The company is eyeing new properties in Kodaikanal, Madurai and Kerala. It has also signed a few properties for development in Kerala and Karnataka. The group is planning to invest about Rs 20 crore this year for developing heritage properties. ‘‘We have signed an agreement with the Maharaja of Mysore for developing three properties — two in Mysore and one in Ooty. While the property in Ooty — Regency Villas Palace — is already commissioned, we are currently renovating Rajendra Vilas Palace in Mysore, which will be completed by October,’’ Mr Rakesh Mathur, president of WelcomHeritage.

As part of the agreement, the group is also developing another property at Srirangapatnam in Mysore. ‘‘It is a forest bungalow and it will be ready to receive guests in an year,’’ he said. According to him, the group has got rights to receive some properties in Kerala as well. ‘‘We are developing a heritage property at Chinnar Tea Estate in Kerala. The bungalow has 12 rooms and we will be adding more space. Besides, we are also developing 10 cottages near the estate,’’ he said. It is also in talks with various individuals for signing franchise and management agreements for heritage properties at Kodaikanal, Madurai and Chettinadu in Tamil Nadu, and Alleppey in Kerala.

Though the group had earmarked about Rs 20 crore for developing properties, the budget could go up depending on the number of properties signed, Mr Mathur said. ‘‘It is a challenge to develop heritage properties. Most of them are tucked away in small villages where connectivity is a problem. Besides, space is also a constraint. Unlike a luxury hotel in the city, we will not be able to increase the number of rooms,’’ he added. The chain has presence in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. ‘‘Now our focus is on the south as these states are set to emerge as the most sought-after tourism destinations in the country,’’ he added.

GoAir offers 20,000 Free Tickets !

Low cost carrier, GoAir, is offering tickets priced as low as Rs225 for the upcoming festive season from July to September.

The GoCelebrate offer has prices starting at Rs225 for short haul flights between Mumbai-Goa, Ahmedabad-Delhi and Rs525 for long haul flights like Mumbai-Delhi, Mumbai-Jaipur, Bengalooru-Mumbai and Mumbai-Chennai, a company release said.

The LCC also said that more than 20,000 free tickets would be available for flights between Mumbai-Ahmedabad, Delhi-Jaipur, Bengalooru-Cochin, Hyderabad-Chennai and Srinagar-Jammu.Booking of tickets for this particular offer would be valid in the period May 21-25.

MTC adding 25 new vestilblue buses

The Metropolitan Transport Corporation will add 25 new vestibule buses to its fleet next week.The new buses would be longer than the existing vestibule buses, MTC authorities said.The new buses would be fitted with automatic doors, something that would help in preventing footboard travel. Similarly, it would not be possible for the passengers to alight or board the buses at halts other than at scheduled stops, an MTC official said.

It is not uncommon to see passengers travelling by buses without doors alight and board the buses when they wait at the traffic junctions.Due to non-availability of facilities at its body building unit at Chromepet, the MTC outsourced the body building work, the official said.The new buses would have cushion seats and more leg room for the convenience of passengers instead of the conventional seating system.

At a time nearly 200 persons could be accommodated in the new vestibule bus. The seating capacity would be 62. The Corporation has plans to introduce a total of 100 vestibule buses. The remaining 75 would be introduced in a phased manner.

Train cancelled

In view of the line/power block between Ponneri and Gummidipoondi on Chennai Central - Gudur section the following will be the pattern of train services on May 13 and May 20.Trains fully cancelled: MSP 11 MMC - Sullurupetta local leaving MMC at 1.35 pm, GM 22, GM 24 A, GM 26, GM 28, and GM 30 Gummidipoondi - MMC locals leaving Gummidipoondi at 11.35 am, 1 pm, 2.15 pm, 3.15 pm, and 3.40 pm respectively and SPM 8 Sullurupetta - MMC local leaving Sullurupetta at 12.35 pm.

Trains partially cancelled between Ponneri and Gummidipoondi: MG 15 MMC - Gummidipoondi local leaving MMC at 11.35 am, BMG 1 Beach - Gummidipoondi local leaving Beach at 10.05 a.m, MG 17, MG 19, MG 21, and MG 23 MMC - Gummidipoondi local leaving MMC at 12.10 pm, 1.10 pm, 2.15 pm, and 3.10 pm respectively.Train partially cancelled between Ponneri - Sullurupetta: MSP 9 MMC - Sullurupetta local leaving MMC at 12.35 pm.

Trains partially cancelled between Gummidipoondi - MMC: SPM 6 and SPM 10 Sullurupetta - MMC local leaving Sullurupetta at 11.45 am, and 3.15 pm respectively. Passenger specials will leave at 11.50 am, 12.50 pm, 1.30 pm, 2 pm, 2.20 pm, 3.30 pm, and 5 pm from Ponneri to MMC. Gummidipoondi - Sullurupetta passenger special will leave Gummidipoondi at 2.30 pm.

UAE's Etihad Airways to plan flights to Chennai

Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is seeking to start new services from Abu Dhabi to Indian cities, and in this regard expects to start a final round of talks in the third week of this month with aviation ministry officials.

According to reports, Etihad will seek clearance for direct flights between UAE to Banaglore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad. Currently, it operates seven flights from Mumbai and three from Delhi. The airline is also looking at doubling its services from Mumbai and Delhi to Abu Dhabi.

Reports indicate that Etihad has plans to start services to Sydney, Milan, Dublin, Shanghai and Kathmandu, as well. Like other global players, Etihad too has placed orders for a fleet of new of new aircraft. In all, 29 aircraft have been ordered by the airline at a cost of $8 billion, including Boeing 777s and Airbus 320s, 340s and 380s.

Etihad Airways officials have said that they recognise the need to add new cities to their schedule keeping in mind the large Indian community in the Gulf, UK and North America. They also point out that the number of Indian visitors to the UAE is increasing at the rate of 30 per cent annually. The four-year-old airline has so far invested $9 billion in fleet purchases and operates to 35 destinations through 19 aircraft.

SriLankan Airlines adds more flights to Trichy

SriLankan Airlines commences double-daily services to Mumbai and 94 flights a week to India

SriLankan Airlines, for many years the largest foreign carrier operating to India, is expanding operations with the launch of double-daily flights to Mumbai (Bombay), the country’s commercial capital this February.

The additional flight adding to the present daily frequency to Mumbai will also raise the number of flights throughout India to an unprecedented 94 per week to 10 cities - 15 to Chennai, 13 to Trivandrum, 11 to Kochi, 10 to Trichy, 8 to Calicut, daily to New Delhi, Hyderabad, and Bangalore, and 2 to Goa.

Manoj Gunawardena, Head of Worldwide Passenger Sales at SriLankan said: “It will not be long before SriLankan realizes the dream of a hundred flights a week to India! It is our aim to serve as many Indian cities as frequently as possible. Travellers can take full advantage of our rapid connections in Colombo to Europe, Middle East, Far East and the Maldives with the double-daily service from Mumbai increasing the level of convenience.”

Flying time from Mumbai to Colombo is a mere 2 hours and 25 minutes. The new flights are conveniently scheduled to depart Mumbai daily at 2:55 p.m. and arrive in Colombo at 5:20 p.m. The return flights are scheduled to depart Colombo at 11:45 a.m. and arrive in Mumbai at 2:00 p.m.

Senaka Fernando, Regional Manager Indian Subcontinent & Maldives, said: “The increase in flights to Mumbai is the result of a recent bilateral meeting between India and Sri Lanka that reinforces the excellent cooperation that exists between the two nations. India has so much to offer in terms of history and culture and we are spearheading massive campaigns to lure more tourists to this fabulous country”

The launch of additional flights to Mumbai is part of SriLankan’s strategic plan to strengthen its market presence in India which remains the foremost tourism generating market for Sri Lanka. The additional flights will also support the airline’s campaign to promote tourism to India from its worldwide network through the Colombo hub. SriLankan Airlines works in close collaboration with Indian tourism authorities to effectively promote in-bound tourism to India and has a strong marketing partnership with the State Government of Kerala.

Operating a fleet of modern Airbus A340’s A330’s and A320’s, SriLankan now serves 50 destinations in 28 countries, and has gained a reputation as an award-winning airline. These include “World’s Best Airline” in a survey of Economy Class passengers, “World’s Friendliest Cabin Staff”, first runner-up for “World’s Best Cabin Staff”, “Best Overall In-flight Entertainment (small fleet), and “World’s Most Efficient Operator of Airbus A330s (small fleet)” from Airbus Industrie.

SriLankan has also dominated regional awards, winning the Skytrax award for “Best Airline in Central Asia” for four consecutive years, as well as the TTG Asia Award for “Best Airline in South Asia” three times, and the Galileo Indian Express Award for the “Best Eastbound International Airline from India

Source: Agency faqs.