Vanathi Srinivasan, MLA from Coimbatore South and National President of the BJP Mahila Morcha, has urged Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu to take up the extension and strengthening of the runway at Coimbatore International Airport on a priority basis to enable regular operations of widebody and cargo aircraft.
In a letter to the Union Minister, she mentioned that the existing runway, which is 2,990 metres long, needs to be extended to 3,810 metres to facilitate the operation of widebody aircraft such as the Airbus A350, Boeing 777, and dedicated freighter aircraft. She noted that the Tamil Nadu government has already acquired the land requested by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for the runway extension.
She further mentioned that the proposed extension, along with pavement strengthening, is crucial for sustained widebody passenger and cargo operations, which would help unlock the economic potential of Coimbatore and western Tamil Nadu. She also said that Coimbatore International Airport has the potential to serve as a primary diversion airport for widebody aircraft operating to Chennai, Bengaluru, Kochi, and Thiruvananthapuram during weather-related disruptions and emergencies.
In her letter, Vanathi Srinivasan pointed out that Coimbatore and western Tamil Nadu contribute 32% of Tamil Nadu’s GDP, while the Coimbatore–Tiruppur metropolitan region ranks tenth among India’s top economic clusters, contributing one per cent of the country’s GDP.
She added that the airport is the principal gateway for the region’s industrial, commercial, educational, and healthcare sectors and is rapidly emerging as a start-up and Global Capability Centre (GCC) hub.
Stating that the project aligns with national initiatives such as Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat, she urged the Centre to take up the runway extension and strengthening alongside Phase-1 development of the airport.
