Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti and Union Minister for Civil Aviation, P Ashok Gajapati Raju inaugurated the upgraded passenger terminal at Jammu airport today.With the commissioning today of this Rs. 90 crore project, the passengers at the airport would be having enhanced passenger handling per hour and more checks-in and use of modern technology for heat and water conservation.Addressing a largely attended gathering after the inauguration, the Chief Minister hoped that with the inauguration of the improved facilities, Jammu airport would attract more and more arrivals. She said her Government has been working hard to improve facilities at Jammu airport so that these become in tune with modern day aviation standards.Mehbooba Mufti said Jammu has much to offer to the visitors in terms of heritage and history like Mubarak Mandi, forts, temples etc. and Jammu airport plays an important role in getting a niche crowd to the place. She said given the increased traffic and connectivity time has come to think of developing a full-fledged airport at a separate place. She said her Government has planned to develop Jammu as an independent tourist destination for which connectivity and facilities are of crucial importance.
In his address, union Minister for Civil Aviation, P. Ashok Gajapati Raju expressed the resolve of Central Government to improving facilities at the airports. He said there is a thrust on the part of his Ministry to increase connectivity within the country, particularly cargo, so that the emerging economic opportunities are optimally exploited.The Union Minister said improved connectivity means more people travelling, thereby increasing tourist activities which automatically lead to more economic activities. He hoped with more expansion of the runway at the Jammu Airport, landing of Boeing 707 and Airbus 320 would be facilitated.Minister of State for DoNER, Dr Jitendra Singh; Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Jayant Sinha; Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh; Speaker J&K Legislative Assembly, Kavinder Gupta; MPs, Jugal Kishore and Shamsher Singh Manhas also addressed the gathering.
Earlier, Chairman, Airports Authority of India, Dr Guruprasad Mohapatra outlined the brief features of the upgraded terminal building.Minister of State for Hajj & Auqaf, Syed Farooq Andrabi; several legislators; Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Rohit Kansal; Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, M K Bhandari; other senior officers of Divisional administration; members of tourist trade and business fraternities and prominent citizens were present on the occasion.The green features incorporated in the passenger terminal building include rain water harvesting, re use of treated water for horticulture, low heat gain glazing, LED lighting. The terminal would have a peak hour handling capacity of 720 passengers with 21 check in counters, seven X-ray machines, six frisking booths, three escalators, two elevators and three passenger boarding bridges are expected to be commissioned by March next year.