PM Narendra Modi inaugurates country's second green airport in Vadodara

VADODARA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the new integrated airport terminal here, which is now the country's second green airport after Kochi, and said such projects will encourage people to take up environment-friendly constructions.

Modi, who visited the city for the first time after becoming Prime Minister, said the airport will add another bright spot to the city.

"I am happy that after the formation of the new NDA government, two airports in the country have become a part of the green movement.

"The first was in Kochi and the second such airport is being dedicated to the nation at Vadodara. This airport will be zero discharge, waste to wealth, energy saving and environment friendly," he said.

"It will be considered as one of the top-class airports of the country," Modi said.

He said the airport is constructed on the principle of green infrastructure using bricks of fly ash.

"Construction of such iconic buildings on green concept will encourage citizens to take up construction on these lines," said the Prime Minister.

Spread in an area of 17,500 sq mt, the new integrated terminal has been built at a cost of Rs 160 crore. It has been designed to handle 700 passengers, including international fliers, per hour with 18 check-in counters, which would help in a seamless boarding process.

It took about seven years to complete the project as the then Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel had laid the foundation stone in 2009.

The 8,100-meter-long runway of the Vadodra airport can handle small and narrow body aircraft such as Airbus 320 and Boeing 737s. Besides national carrier Air India, private airlines likes IndiGo and Jet airways are operating from here.

Stressing on the need to focus on connectivity for development, Modi said the first Railway University to be set up here is an important decision in this direction and will impact the next century.

"The government has taken a very important decision whose impact will be felt for nearly 100 years. And the decision is that country's first railway university will be constructed in Vadodara," Modi said addressing public after inaugurating the terminal.

Modi had won 2014 Lok Sabha elections with record landslide margin from Vadodara constituency. He also won from Varanasi and later vacated Vadodra.

The PM also said the varsity will help in carrying out innovation and modernisation for the Indian Railways.

"Connectivity is becoming very important in this century," he said.

He also brought up the work to increase the height of Sardar Sarovar dam in neighbouring Narmada district.

Modi said his government did two things soon after assuming office in 2014.

"The first was the permission to increase height of Sardar Sarovar dam, a work that was waiting since five decades, struggling, and facing difficulties," he said. The second he said was the airport project.

"Similarly, air traffic is also needed. Air services are required in a big way for growth of tourism in the country. Better air connectivity means more tourists and this means better economic growth. There are immense possibility for tourism growth in India. Keeping that in view, this government has decided to promote the aviation sector," he said.

Referring to the first Railway University to be set up here, Modi said it will impact the next century.

"The government has taken a very important decision whose impact will be felt for nearly 100 years. And the decision is that country's first railway university will be constructed in Vadodara," Modi said addressing public after inaugurating the terminal.

The PM said the varsity will help in carrying out innovation and modernisation for the Indian Railways.

Earlier, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajpathi Raju said since the NDA government came to power, air passengers traffic has "grown by over 20 per cent".