Taking note of the fact that approval from the Union Cabinet was required in order to notify or upgrade the status of the Madurai Airport as an International Airport and the matter was yet to proceed in this regard, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court disposed of a batch of petitions seeking international status for Madurai airport.
A Division Bench of Justices T.S. Sivagnanam and S. Ananthi said that the court took notice of the fact that the authorities had held talks on the expansion of Madurai airport. The court hoped that earnest steps would be taken towards the acquisition of land for the expansion of the airport and also the extension of the runway.
The batch of public interest litigation petitions sought direction to the Centre and the State to notify or upgrade the status of the Madurai airport as an international airport. Apart from this, the petitioners also sought a direction to the authorities to take necessary steps towards the additional infrastructure.
The judges said that extension of the runway at the Madurai airport could be taken up. This would enable the airport to handle large aircrafts and heavy air traffic. The next step will be to declare the airport an international airport and following this other infrastructure facilities would follow.
The petitioners said that the facilities at Madurai airport matched or were superior to those at some international airports in the country. But, the airport was yet to be notified as an international airport.
