Tamil Nadu - Salem   

Slash airport tax, says association

SALEM: The Salem District Small Scale and Tiny Industries Association has urged the Ministry of Civil Aviation to “slash the airport tax” on passengers travelling between Salem and Chennai as it would encourage and sustain air traffic, which has been revived after 16 years.

The Association president K. Mariappan in his memorandum to Minister Praful Patel, pointed out that the airport was built in 1993 on 136 acres at Kamalapuram with lands donated by the people.

Kingfisher Airlines had started its operations in the Chennai-Salem-Chennai sector.

The Ministry had given all clearances and made the dream of Salem people real.

Union Minister for Home Affairs P.Chidambaram also took up the issue to get necessary safety and security clearances.

Salem Airport was the only airport in the country where land for its formation was gifted by industrialists and the public, he said.

As the fare also was fluctuating based on the patronage, the association asked the Minister to take steps in order to reduce the Air Port Tax at Salem and Chennai airports at Rs.229 per passenger per airport for a total of Rs. 458, as a special case so that more passengers could opt for flying.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Moderate rain
Plea to regulate traffic in city to ensure safety on the roads
Slash airport tax, says association

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu