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International airport in Visakhapatnam soon

Staff Reporter

Praful Patel says direct flights to Singapore and other destinations will be introduced

Round-the-clock operations after terminal buildings are inaugurated
Balamuralikrishna honoured with National Integration Award-2008

— Photo: K.R. Deepak

FOR AMITY: Minister of State for Civil Aviation Praful Patel (second from right), MP T. Subbarami Reddy (third from left) with religious leaders at the Sarva Bhaavana Sammelan in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.

VISAKHAPATNAM: The international airport here, work on which is progressing at a brisk pace, will be inaugurated in three to four months, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Praful Patel has said.

Mr. Patel was here to participate in the ‘Sarva Dharma Sama Bhaavana Sammelan,’ organised on the occasion of MP T. Subbarami Reddy’s birthday, on Wednesday.

He said that round-the-clock operations at the airport would begin after the new terminal buildings were inaugurated.

Direct flights, the Minister added, would be introduced to Singapore and other destinations.

He described the airport developments as Mr. Reddy’s birthday gift to the people of Visakhapatnam.

Eye donation

Earlier, in his address, Mr. Reddy described blindness as a ‘curse’ and spoke of his plans to collect pledges from one lakh people by his next birthday. The number of blind people in the State was 25 lakh and 2.5 crore in India.

“The Vedas also advocate eye donation. We can see the world after death, if we donate eyes,” he said and pledged to donate his eyes.

Model State

He said that Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had made Andhra Pradesh into a model State by introducing programmes like ‘Arogyasri.’

Earlier, spiritual leaders from Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Sikh communities prayed for the country’s growth and progress .

Awards presented

Lyricist Padma Bhushan C. Narayana Reddy presided over the function.

Carnatic vocalist Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna was presented the National Integration Award-2008, actor Jamuna, the Lifetime Achievement Award-2008, playback singer S. Janaki, the Sangeeta Saraswati Award-2008 and the Visistha Kalakar Award-2008 went to comedian Brahmanandam.

Among those who attended the function were actors Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Vanisree, Sarada, M. Mohan Babu, Nagarjuna, Amala, Rajasekhar, Jeevitha, film writers Parachuri Brothers, playback singer P. Suseela, a host of peoples’ representatives and Congress leaders.

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