Tamil Nadu govt seeks Centre’s nod for Rameswaram airport

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) has applied to the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation for site clearance to establish an airport at Manikaneri in Ramanathapuram district, taking the proposed Rameswaram airport project a step forward.

The airport is planned on approximately 600 acres, with land acquisition work already underway.

Manikaneri was selected following an assessment of five potential locations and a recommendation from the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

The proposed facility is intended to improve access to Rameswaram, a major pilgrimage and tourism destination that attracts devotees and visitors from across India and overseas.

Ramanathaswamy Temple and Dhanushkodi are among the district’s principal attractions. However, Ramanathapuram district currently depends on road and rail connectivity, requiring visitors to complete their journeys using these modes of transport.

The state government decided to pursue an airport project to reduce travel time and provide an additional transport option for people visiting Rameswaram and nearby destinations.

TIDCO, the state agency responsible for implementing such infrastructure projects, has been coordinating the preliminary work, including identifying suitable land and pursuing the necessary approvals.

As part of this process, five sites were identified and studied before Manikaneri emerged as the preferred location.

The selection was made on the basis of the AAI’s recommendation following the assessment.

With the location identified and land acquisition initiated, TIDCO has now approached the Civil Aviation Ministry for the site clearance required to advance the proposal.

The application concerns approval of the proposed location.

It is one of the key regulatory steps involved in establishing a new airport and precedes further approvals needed to implement the project.

Both site clearance and in-principle approval are essential for establishing an airport. Once these approvals are obtained, the project must proceed through construction and subsequently secure the permissions required to begin operations.

The immediate focus is on securing the Centre’s site clearance for Manikaneri, enabling the state government and TIDCO to take the proposed 600-acre airport project into its next stage of development.

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The Hans India