MP Brijesh Chowta writes to centre urges to retain Mangaluru as Air India Express crew base
Mangaluru: Member of Parliament Captain Brijesh Chowta has written to Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, seeking urgent intervention to prevent the closure of Air India Express’ crew base in Mangaluru.
In his letter, Chowta emphasized the strategic importance of Mangaluru International Airport, which has been operational since 1951 and serves as a key aviation hub for Coastal Malnad and North Kerala.
Highlighting the potential effects, Chowta stated that shutting down the crew base would significantly impact both airline employees and travelers.
He noted that over 100 crew members and ancillary workers would be displaced, causing strain on the region’s workforce. Furthermore, he pointed out that the airport's high operational efficiency which is boasting a 90.43% on-time performance (OTP) and handling over 1,300 tons of cargo highlights its necessity.
The MP also stressed that local crew members’ familiarity with the airport enables efficient operations, which would be disrupted by the closure.
He also urged the DGCA to explore decentralized approaches to crew bases, which he believes would improve India’s overall aviation network.
Pleased to have met Union Minister of Civil Aviation Sri Ram Mohan Naidu @RamMNK
— Captain Brijesh Chowta ಕ್ಯಾಪ್ಟನ್ ಬ್ರಿಜೇಶ್ ಚೌಟ (@CaptBrijesh) April 4, 2025
at his office in the Parliament premises today.
Discussed various issues including the ongoing land acquisition of the Mangalore International Airport for expansion and security purposes, which I… pic.twitter.com/56CEpOBQvC
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Kodagu: 7-year-old student killed in fire accident at residential school
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Madikeri (Karnataka) (PTI): A seven-year-old student was killed in a fire accident that occurred at a residential school in Kodagu district on Thursday, police said.
The fire broke out at Har Mandir School near here in the wee hours, and the rest of the 29 students staying in the residential school were saved, they added.
The victim has been identified as Pushpak (7), a Class Two student from Chettimani village in Madikeri taluk. Firefighters from the Madikeri Fire Station, along with local residents, worked together to douse the flames. The cause of the fire is believed to be a short circuit.
"There were 29 students in this residential school. All others are safe except for this boy. Investigations are on to ascertain the cause of the fire, though preliminarily it seems that a short circuit was the reason behind the fire," a police officer told PTI.
Senior police officers and Fire Brigade staff visited the spot and conducted an inspection.
