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Trade, industry and exporters’ bodies in the region on Monday thanked Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami for assuring to take immediate action for quick acquisition of land to expand the Coimbatore airport.

In a statement, President of local chapter of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vanitha Mohan exuded confidence that the Special Committee to be formed will study the situation and inform the Airport Authority of India on the quantum of land that can be acquired.

All these initiatives for expansion of airport will help this industrial hub to facilitate exports of products made in the region besides benefiting passengers, she said.

In another statement, Tirupur Exporters’ Association President Raja M. Shanmugham said the Kongu region comprising seven districts of Western part of Tamil Nadu – Coimbatore, Tirupur, Karur, Nilgiris, Salem, Erode and Namakkal – is contributing more than 40 per cent to the State GDP.

The region has been using Coimbatore International Airport and with lack of direct air connectivity to international destinations, the passengers are normally going to Chennai / Bangalore / Cochin / Tiruchirappalli every day to fly to an international destination via different hubs of foreign airlines in other countries.

Moreover, while importing accessories from China and Hong Kong, Tirupur exporters are preferring Chennai airport because of more air connectivity which is lacking in Coimbatore, he said and thanked Palaniswami and Municipal Administration Minister S.P. Velumani for forming a special team for land acquisition to develop Coimbatore airport.

Once the air Cargo connectivity is increased further to development of airport will help for overall economy enhancement from this region including exports from Tirupur, he said.