Proposal to rename airport yet to come, says Minister

The Union Government said on Monday that that the State Government has not sent any proposal seeking renaming Mangaluru International Airport.

Replying to an unstarred question by Rajya Sabha member Subramanian Swamy in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation V.K. Singh said: “The proposals for naming/renaming of airports are considered based on the recommendations of the concerned State Government accompanied by a resolution passed in the Legislative Assembly. No such proposal to rename the existing Mangaluru Airport has yet been received from the State Government. The decision on renaming of airports is taken by the Union Cabinet after due consultations with the Central Ministries/ Departments concerned.”

Some organisations in Mangaluru have demanded that the airport be named after Veera Rani Abbakka, the Tuluva Queen who had fought the Portuguese, or Koti and Chennaya, Tulu warriors. There is also a demand to rename the airport as Tulu Nadu Airport.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) handed over the airport in October 2020 to Adani Mangaluru International Airport Ltd. for 50-year airport operation, management and development.