Citizens demand naming Mangaluru International Airport as Tulunadu airport

Adani group should not prominently display its name on Airport’s welcome arch, activists

Adding to the host of names for Mangaluru International Airport, a group of citizens on Saturday demanded naming it ‘Tulunadu Airport’.

Ritesh D’Souza, secretary, Yuva Tulunadu, said erstwhile Tulunadu-covered regions from Kasaragod in Kerala to Barkur in Kundapura taluk. “As this airport serves people in Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Kasaragod taluks who are part of Tulunadu, it will be good to name it ‘Tulunadu Airport’,” he said.

Social activist and bus fleet operator Dilraj Alva said different names suggested by people, including Koti Chennayya, Rani Abbakka and U. Srinivas Mallya have led to controversies with political parties blaming each other. “But nobody will question naming the airport after Tulunadu,” he said.

Umanath Kotekar, convenor, Swachh Mangaluru Abhiyan, questioned the Adani Group’s act of prominently displaying ‘Adani Airports’ on the welcome arch of MIA. “This gives the feeling that the airport is owned by Adani Group. This has not been done by any of the private firms managing airports in New Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Ahmedabad,” he said, and claimed the norms do not allow a lease holder to prominently display its name.

Mr. Alva said if Adani Group failed to properly display the name of the airport, activists will take up the issue legally. Referring to recent the ruling of the Delhi High Court barring the firm managing the Delhi airport from opening new commercial stalls there, He added that private firms should give regard to local culture and traditions.

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