Tiruchy airport to run e-vehicle shuttles to new terminal: Durai Vaiko

TIRUCHY: The Airports Authority of India was asked to initiate steps to introduce e-vehicle shuttles to the new terminal and operate cargo flights, said the Tiruchy MP and MDMK Principal Secretary Durai Vaiko here on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters after convening a meeting with the airport officials, MP Durai Vaiko said that the new terminal has been constructed with international standards.

Hence the runway too is to be expanded so that the wide-bodied aircrafts could arrive at the airport thereby increasing the passenger flow. “I have appealed to speed up the steps for the expansion of runways which is the most urgent requirement,” Durai Vaiko said.

Stating that the meeting discussed the need for augmenting the basic needs, Durai Vaiko said that he had appealed to introduce the e-vehicle shuttle services to the new terminal to facilitate the passengers as well as the visitors and a namaz space for Muslims. “There was also discussion to resume cargo services,” he said. “While the TNSTC has been operating three services to the new terminal temporarily and the permanent services would be launched with the support of the State government,” he said.

It is said that there was a shortage of manpower in the new terminal and steps would be initiated to increase the number of officials as well as the supporting staff. Stating that 95 per cent of the airport expansion works were already over, the MP said that the remaining works would be completed at the earliest. While condemning the Sanskrit sign board in the new terminal, Durai Vaiko said that it was an unnecessary one as no one would understand the language.

Meanwhile, Durai Vaiko condemned the discourse of self-styled godman Maha Vishnu at a government school in Chennai and said that it was not a religious discourse but a Sanatana discourse and severe action should be initiated against those who organised the event in the school.

In the meantime, Durai Vaiko said that the MDMK is committed to ensuring total prohibition and would continue to demand the State government to gradually implement it. He also stated that the MDMK will travel along with the DMK in the 2026 Assembly polls also to prevent the communal forces from entering the State.