CHENNAI: DMK Rajya Sabha MP P Wilson on Wednesday urged the union government to develop airports in TN to spur the state’s economy. Speaking at the Zero hour in Parliament, Wilson said TN airports needed to be modernised to cater to the needs of public; industries; trade and commerce; and tourism.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation should expedite the establishment of the second airport at Parandur with ultra-modern facilities to make Chennai a commercial hub in south India. He added that the aviation ministry needed to focus not only on Chennai but also on Madurai, the second-largest city and the gateway to 13 southern and central districts.
The MP said: “The UDAN (regional airport development program) scheme covers five airports in Tamil Nadu—Salem, Neyveli, Vellore, Ramanathapuram, and Thanjavur. It has been five years since the plan was launched, and flight operations began only from Salem airport.” Additionally, there’s a dire need for central support in expanding and revamping the Thoothukudi airport.