Mumbai airport T2 to open for passengers on Feb 12

New terminal will set global benchmarks in efficiency and safety: PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday said the government was committed to development of civil aviation in the country and will operationalise 50 new airports in tier II and III cities.

On Friday, Singh inaugurated Mumbai airport's new integrated terminal T2 which has enhanced the passenger capacity of the Mumbai airport and offers improved passenger comfort.

The T2 will open for international passenger operations from February 12.

Singh said the new terminal will set global  benchmarks in efficiency and safety and added the new terminal is passenger friendly.

He added governement alone can not make huge investments to develop world class infrastructure and added  that public private partnership model was successful in developing airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad which handle 57% of all traffic in India.

Civil aviation minister Ajit Singh said that the government will stress on regional connectivity and sought state support to develop low cost no frill airports in the country.

GVK Reddy, Chairman of GVK group, which is executing the Mumbai modernisation project said the group had overcome challenges and land constraints in building the terminal and said the big challenge before the airport now was rehabilitation of slums surrounding the airport.