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Where is the fat lady's screaming?
Finally, Madurai gets international connectivity
J Arockiaraj, TNN | Sep 21, 2012, 04.11AM IST
MADURAI: The first commercial international flight from Madurai airport took off to Colombo on Thursday raising hopes of a tourism boom and increase in bilateral trade ties with the island nation.
The SpiceJet flight that took off to Colombo had 77 passengers, including 48 from the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TNfrom Madurai who hope to tap the trade market opened up by the international connectivity to Colombo. In the return flight, 46 passengers arrived from Colombo.
"The airport is beautiful and I can compare very well on a par with the Bangalore airport or any other international airport for that matter," exclaimed Mohammed Hareesh, an export trader from Sri Lanka after landing in Madurai along with his wife Siddhi Nadeera by the Colombo - Madurai flight operated by SpiceJet on Thursday evening.
Among the 46 passengers, many are from Tamil Nadu, who settled in Sri Lanka for business and work. [ Hmm, I wonder should they be kicked out of Sri Lanka? ]Many of those who arrived by the first flight had an emotional tale to tell. "My grandparents lived in Thirumangalam, Madurai and I made it a point to take the first flight to Madurai," quipped R Saravanan (50), who is into jewellery business in Kandy. Umakanth Devarayan, a youth, who is into pharmaceutical business in Sri Lanka, hails from Kovilpatti, though he was born and raised in Sri Lanka. He landed in Madurai with an intention of visiting his ancestral town during this trip.
Many of the passengers who earlier used Trichy and Chennai airports, found this new route shorter and viable. L Dhansekaran from Devakottai, who works in the textile industry in Sri Lanka said, "Madurai is much nearer to my home town when compared to Trichy." While many passengers are ethnic Tamils or Indian Tamils settled in the island nation, some of the first passengers are different.
For example, Dassnakege (50) a Sinhalese from Colombo has come to India with her daughter Diniphe (14) to visit Tirupathi. "I have travelled to many places in India and visited various shrines and temples. I am taking my daughter along this time," she said [ Uh Oh, hope she and her daughter don't get stoned in the name of Tamil pride like the Sri Lankan Christian pilgrims were ] . Yoshikazu Komatsu, a Japanese tourist landed in Madurai for the first time. "I am coming to Madurai for the first time and planning to visit many places," he said.
Earlier in the day, the 77 passengers including the business delegates boarded the first international flight from Madurai to Colombo. Senior president of the chamber, S Rethinavelu, said that they are meeting with members of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce on Friday where they will be signing a memorandum of understanding with them on bilateral trade. [ What happened to the fat lady's demand to boycott Sri Lanka? ]
"We should consider this day a golden day in Madurai history where the international connectivity has become a reality after long struggle. Colombo is the only international destination possible from Madurai due to bilateral restrictions," he said.
Even as the delegation was starting for the trip, situation was tense at the TNCCI premises here as a few outfits opposed their trip and posters were put up in various parts in the city against the chamber delegation visit to Sri Lanka.
full article - Finally, Madurai gets international connectivity - The Times of India
Finally, Madurai gets international connectivity
J Arockiaraj, TNN | Sep 21, 2012, 04.11AM IST
MADURAI: The first commercial international flight from Madurai airport took off to Colombo on Thursday raising hopes of a tourism boom and increase in bilateral trade ties with the island nation.
The SpiceJet flight that took off to Colombo had 77 passengers, including 48 from the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TNfrom Madurai who hope to tap the trade market opened up by the international connectivity to Colombo. In the return flight, 46 passengers arrived from Colombo.
"The airport is beautiful and I can compare very well on a par with the Bangalore airport or any other international airport for that matter," exclaimed Mohammed Hareesh, an export trader from Sri Lanka after landing in Madurai along with his wife Siddhi Nadeera by the Colombo - Madurai flight operated by SpiceJet on Thursday evening.
Among the 46 passengers, many are from Tamil Nadu, who settled in Sri Lanka for business and work. [ Hmm, I wonder should they be kicked out of Sri Lanka? ]Many of those who arrived by the first flight had an emotional tale to tell. "My grandparents lived in Thirumangalam, Madurai and I made it a point to take the first flight to Madurai," quipped R Saravanan (50), who is into jewellery business in Kandy. Umakanth Devarayan, a youth, who is into pharmaceutical business in Sri Lanka, hails from Kovilpatti, though he was born and raised in Sri Lanka. He landed in Madurai with an intention of visiting his ancestral town during this trip.
Many of the passengers who earlier used Trichy and Chennai airports, found this new route shorter and viable. L Dhansekaran from Devakottai, who works in the textile industry in Sri Lanka said, "Madurai is much nearer to my home town when compared to Trichy." While many passengers are ethnic Tamils or Indian Tamils settled in the island nation, some of the first passengers are different.
For example, Dassnakege (50) a Sinhalese from Colombo has come to India with her daughter Diniphe (14) to visit Tirupathi. "I have travelled to many places in India and visited various shrines and temples. I am taking my daughter along this time," she said [ Uh Oh, hope she and her daughter don't get stoned in the name of Tamil pride like the Sri Lankan Christian pilgrims were ] . Yoshikazu Komatsu, a Japanese tourist landed in Madurai for the first time. "I am coming to Madurai for the first time and planning to visit many places," he said.
Earlier in the day, the 77 passengers including the business delegates boarded the first international flight from Madurai to Colombo. Senior president of the chamber, S Rethinavelu, said that they are meeting with members of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce on Friday where they will be signing a memorandum of understanding with them on bilateral trade. [ What happened to the fat lady's demand to boycott Sri Lanka? ]
"We should consider this day a golden day in Madurai history where the international connectivity has become a reality after long struggle. Colombo is the only international destination possible from Madurai due to bilateral restrictions," he said.
Even as the delegation was starting for the trip, situation was tense at the TNCCI premises here as a few outfits opposed their trip and posters were put up in various parts in the city against the chamber delegation visit to Sri Lanka.
full article - Finally, Madurai gets international connectivity - The Times of India
