AAI commissions phase I of part parallel taxi track at MIA

MANGALURU: Even as Airports Authority of India (AAI) has approved construction of part parallel taxi track (Phase-II) and grading of basic strip at south side of Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) at Kenjar, it commissioned the phase I of the work on Monday. Air India flight AI 680 Mangaluru-Mumbai was the first flight to use this newly built taxiway and AAI crash tenders welcomed it with a water cannon salute as it entered the new taxiway. 

Phase I of the taxiway entailed filling nearly 30 metres of valley abutting the airport and the facility built was totally from concrete, J T Radhakrishna, airport director, MIA said. Phase I was completed in around 18 months and finally commissioned after DGCA granted its approval, Radhakrishna said, adding AAI has placed work order for phase II with M/s PBI Construction Company for construction of this critical work at MIA at a cost of Rs 98 crore.