CHENNAI: Four airports in Tamil Nadu would be among the 56 proposed unserved airports to be connected under the regional connectivity scheme of UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) by the end of this calendar year, according to Regional Executive Director, southern region, Airports Authority of India, S Sreekumar.
This comes in the wake of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley stating that Regional Connectivity Scheme would connect 56 unserved airports and 31 unserved helipads across the country this financial year. Sreekumar told Express that the operations in Salem airport is expected to start by the month-end and Neyveli airport would begin operations next month.
Both the airports were selected, along with Hosur, under the first phase of Regional Connectivity Scheme. Hosur could not be put into operation as there was an agreement with Bengaluru and Hyderabad airports that no other airport would be allowed to operate within 150-km radius of these facilities. “Hosur comes within the 150-km radius and a No Objection Certificate would be required from the Bengaluru airport,” said the official.
Meanwhile, Thanjavur and Vellore airports, which were selected under the second phase, would start operations by the end of this calendar year, he said. Sreekumar said this financial year, Tiruchy airport would be expanded with the construction of new terminal building. There are expansion plans for Coimbatore airports also, he added.