Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to upgrade the Swami Vivekananda Airport here as an international airport.
Demanding a cargo hub also, the Chief Minister said in a letter that this would enhance the growth potential of the state.
He said that despite a global recession due to Covid-19, Chhattisgarh has been among the fastest growing states in the country.
On the industrial front, after showing an outstanding performance, it is poised for better projections.
Baghel stated that only after a few years of the commissioning of new terminal at the Swami Vivekanand Airport in 2012, it was judged the Best Airport in the non-metro category twice.
"We strongly believe that the upgrading of Raipur airport to international status and availability of a Cargo Hub will provide further fillip to the growth potential of the state. It will allow us to better leverage the central location of the state."
The Chhattisgarh government has provided 344 acres of land to the Airport Authority of India for expansion of the runway to international standards, he said.
The runway length has been extended to 7,500 feet. In principle, approval of converting the old terminal building into a Cargo Hub has been given.
The state government will bear the expenditure involved in conversion of the old terminal into a cargo handling facility, he added.
