MP Brijesh Chowta urges centre to grant point of call status to Mangaluru airport
New Delhi: Dakshina Kannada MP Brijesh Chowta has demanded that Mangaluru International Airport be given Point of Call (TOC) status urgently.
Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha under Rule 377, MP Chowta said that Mangaluru International Airport is a major aviation gateway for coastal Karnataka and neighbouring Kerala. The airport handled around 23.4 lakh passengers, including 7.15 lakh international passengers, during 2024-25. More than 16,800 flights were operated for it. This has registered a growth of more than 15% annually. He said that these figures highlight the importance of the airport in terms of growth and commercial promotion.
A significant number of people from Tulunadu regions work in Gulf and Middle Eastern countries. This working community relies heavily on Mangaluru airport for international travel. However, due to lack of point of call status, foreign airlines are unable to operate direct international services from here. Hence, passengers have to travel via Bengaluru or Cochin airports. This is causing various inconveniences to the NRI community, including high cost, long travel time, Brijesh Chowta has drawn the attention of the House.
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Granting the status to Mangaluru International Airport will enable direct international connectivity for the people of this region. It will also facilitate further expansion of airline operations. It will enable smooth travel for the working class abroad and their families.
Such air connectivity will naturally boost trade and investment activities here. It will also support and encourage regional industries like areca nut, cashew nut processing and petrochemicals. It will also complement the growth of the Mangalore Special Economic Zone, MP Chowta assured the House.
Providing direct international connectivity can not only boost the growth of tourism in the coastal region but also the progress in the education sector. It will also facilitate easy travel for students, researchers and visitors of prestigious institutions like NITK Suratkal and Manipal Institute of Technology to international forums, he said.
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Bengaluru airport introduces AI-based system to enhance safety at vehicle-aircraft intersections
Bengaluru: Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) has introduced an integrated smart airside safety system at Kempegowda International Airport to improve operational safety at key intersection zones.
According to The Hindu, the system has been designed to enhance safety at Cross Service Roads (CSRs), where aircraft and ground vehicle movements intersect.
According to BIAL, the system integrates AI-based computer vision, automation, and centralised monitoring to manage right-of-way movements and reduce the risk of human error.
“CRSs are among the most sensitive areas within airport operations, requiring precise and seamless coordination between aircraft and ground vehicles. Traditionally, right of way protection at these intersections relied on manual or semi-manual inset light activation, creating dependencies on human intervention, increasing the risk of delays and limiting operational visibility,” TH quoted BIAL as saying.
The new system uses real-time detection of vehicle movement, risk assessment, and automated signalling. AI-enabled cameras identify potential conflicts and trigger automated inset light signals to ensure aircraft priority. Normal operations resume once the area is confirmed clear.
“Based on these detections, the system triggers automated inset light activation to protect aircraft right‑of‑way and restores normal signalling once the intersection is confirmed clear. A centralised monitoring and analytics platform digitally logs all events, strengthening governance, compliance, and operational control,” BIAL said.
By embedding technology into operations, the system creates a data-driven separation layer between aircraft and ground vehicles, significantly reducing human error, especially during night and low-visibility conditions.
“Precision-led signal activation improves traffic flow, minimises unnecessary stoppage and enhances turnaround efficiency. It also establishes a scalable foundation for predictive safety analytics, enabling trend analysis, peak-hour optimisation, compliance mapping and risk forecasting to support continuous improvement and stronger airside governance,” BIAL said.
