Plea to allow Vizag airport to handle export, import cargo

VISAKHAPATNAM, FEB. 4: 

The Airports Authority of India, the Navy and other Government agencies and departments should take immediate steps to facilitate handling of exim cargo at Visakhapatnam airport, as already the city is connected to two international destinations (Singapore and Dubai), according to local trade and industry sources.

The view was expressed at a roundtable on the issue organised here on Monday in the Vizagapatam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) by the chamber in association with the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Air Travellers’ Association.

The chamber President K. Ramabrahmam said the issue brooked no delay as it would impart a great impetus to the growth of Visakhapatnam. The infrastructure should be upgraded and 24-hour operations should be made possible at the airport for the purpose.

T. Subbarami Reddy member of the Rajya Sabha, said he would use his good offices to provide the right infrastructure for handling of exim cargo at the airport, as he had done in the past in facilitating international flights from here to Dubai and Singapore.

He said the Navy had been given permission to recruit the necessary staff for 24-hour operations at the airport, but it may take sometime.

He would request the naval authorities to expedite the process. K.V Raju, Executive Director of Hospita India, spoke about the exim cargo to be generated by his company, once it begins commercial operations in a year or so.

He said there were several such pharma units coming up in the special economic zones as well as the pharma city and therefore the air cargo complex should be made ready as soon as possible.

Jayaraj, station manager of Air India, Sameer Mankhad, Director of GSEC, handling agent, K.S. Rao, Director of Airports Authority of India, Varada Reddy, and several others spoke in the same tenor, highlighting the potential of Visakhapatnam and the need for upgrading the infrastructure at the airport.

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