Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 18:
Following the announcement by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to provide night landing facility at Tulihal Airport, Imphal, the State Government has proposed the development of the airport on par with International standard against the backdrop of reaping the benefits of the 'Look East Policy' and the 'Border trade'.
The State Government has also proposed the redevelopment of the airfield of the Second World War time located at Kakching in this regard.
Talking to The Sangai Express, Transport Minister L Jayantakumar, who is currently at New Delhi representing the State in the National Conference on Civil Aviation, said the proposal has been placed before the conference for upgrading the Tulihal Airport to International standard so as to reap the benefits of the Look East Policy of the Centre as well as to increase the volume of the ongoing border trade activities with the neighbouring countries.
The National Conference on Civil Aviation which was held at the Taj Hotel at New Delhi today with Union Aviation Minister Praful Patel in the chair was attended among others by Union Tourism Minister Ambika Soni, respective Transport Ministers of the States and their Chief Secretaries concerned.
Jayantakumar informed that during the conference he had also proposed for sharing the amount of the compensation to be paid to the land owners for expansion and upgradation of Tulihal Airport between the Centre and the State Government on a 50 to 50 percent basis.
Furthermore, he had also raised the proposal to refurbish the old airfield at Kakching which was used during the WW II and make it operational once again, the Minister said.
The Minister disclosed that in accordance with the announcement made by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, the contract for commencement of the work for setting up night landing facility at Tulihal Airport has already been awarded after inviting tenders by the Guwahati based office of the Airport Authority of India.
Consequently, the process for installation of four Solar Power Obstruction Light (SPOL) is on, the Minister added.
On the other hand, the Minister, who is also in charge of Sericulture, informed that along with completion of the first phase of the Japanese Government funded Manipur Sericulture Project by March and commence the second phase, an official team of the Japanese Bank for International Corporation would be coming to Imphal during last week of next month for final assessment of the first phase.