- Home
- News On Sunday
- News
- Bangalore calling MK
Bangalore calling MK
- By Sobhanund Seeparsad
- Published 25th April, 2008
- News
- Unrated
Sobhanund Seeparsad
Editor of News On Sunday. Did university studies in the UK and India. Holds an MA , BA (Hons), BCom, PGCE, PCCGE, Diploma in Journalism (IPI-Zurich). Worked in Nairobi and Mumbai. Was chief Sub Editor Indian Express Group of Papers in 70s. Author: Effective Notes on Milton Paradise Lost BK IX (1963); Granper Rakont Nu Enn Zistwar (1998). Also acted in many short and feature films, including popular TV serial C'est La Vie. Tells a folk story in Bhojpuri on MBC radio daily.
View all articles by Sobhanund Seeparsad
Bangalore, the fifth largest city and the silicone valley of India, capital of the southern Indian State of Karnataka with its seven million residents, is all decked and ready to receive with great fanfare the arrival of the first Air Mauritius flight at its old airport on Tuesday April 29. This will be MK's fourth touch point after Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai.
The first two flights, already reported full, will use Bangalore's old airport until the opening of the new international tarmac scheduled tentatively for May 11. From then onwards, MK will land there every Tuesday after starting from SSR airport on Monday at 1910 hrs. Airbus 330, with a capacity of 275 passengers, will cover the distance in 5 hrs 50 mins, which is not the case at present.
A group of 28 local journalists had a taste - or call it the painful experience - of what it presently means travelling from Mauritius to Bangalore via Mumbai. It's not only hectic but also awfully tiresome and time consuming - over 18 hours from check-in time at SSR airport to landing in Mumbai and flying the connecting flight until Bangalore. Despite the smile and warmth of the stewards and air hostesses and a safe flight, the entire journey leaves the travellers badly battered, mauled, and in need of a good massage and long hours of sleep and rest before thinking of moving ahead.
For Raj Busgeeth, public relations and events manager of Air Mauritius, who accompanied the press party, Bangalore offers the possibility to tap a growing market that includes those people travelling for marketing, conferences, exhibitions, and IT related activities. Beyond these, a huge potential exists to tap and promote
the tourism market and fly more people both ways.
“I am convinced this flight will give a boost to commerce, Information Technology and tourism,” says I.M Vittalamurthy, Secretary to the Government of Karnataka. He even assures there's wide scope for link-ups and participation in diverse sectors of the State's fast growing economy, particularly in sectors like IT and tourism, which is registering almost an 8 % annual growth.
Mauritian journalists had a bird's eye view of an IT park a little outside the city where most of the big international operators have located themselves.
In this cluster of software service providers and global software companies, opportunities for developing countries are also immense, Vittalamurthy says. “We invite investors and offer them numerous facilities, including land, both in IT and tourism sectors,” he adds.
Dr C. Somasekhara, director of the Department of Tourism, does not hide his intention of attracting tourists from Mauritius and the region once the direct flight becomes operative. His department is laying great emphasis on cultural tourism, it’s heritage sites, and such attractions that cater for “different tastes.”
And for this, the State of Karnataka has already undertaken a massive infrastructure development plan. Construction of roads, satellite towns, apartments is in full swing. In the next two years, the tourism department expects to put a halt to the frequent traffic jams that the city is experiencing presently.
Bangalore is all set to grow fast and, with its growth, Air Mauritius, which is the first airline to benefit the right to operate co-terminal flights—that is, touching two airports—is also poised for greater growth, it is felt.
The first two flights, already reported full, will use Bangalore's old airport until the opening of the new international tarmac scheduled tentatively for May 11. From then onwards, MK will land there every Tuesday after starting from SSR airport on Monday at 1910 hrs. Airbus 330, with a capacity of 275 passengers, will cover the distance in 5 hrs 50 mins, which is not the case at present.
A group of 28 local journalists had a taste - or call it the painful experience - of what it presently means travelling from Mauritius to Bangalore via Mumbai. It's not only hectic but also awfully tiresome and time consuming - over 18 hours from check-in time at SSR airport to landing in Mumbai and flying the connecting flight until Bangalore. Despite the smile and warmth of the stewards and air hostesses and a safe flight, the entire journey leaves the travellers badly battered, mauled, and in need of a good massage and long hours of sleep and rest before thinking of moving ahead.
For Raj Busgeeth, public relations and events manager of Air Mauritius, who accompanied the press party, Bangalore offers the possibility to tap a growing market that includes those people travelling for marketing, conferences, exhibitions, and IT related activities. Beyond these, a huge potential exists to tap and promote
“I am convinced this flight will give a boost to commerce, Information Technology and tourism,” says I.M Vittalamurthy, Secretary to the Government of Karnataka. He even assures there's wide scope for link-ups and participation in diverse sectors of the State's fast growing economy, particularly in sectors like IT and tourism, which is registering almost an 8 % annual growth.
Mauritian journalists had a bird's eye view of an IT park a little outside the city where most of the big international operators have located themselves.
In this cluster of software service providers and global software companies, opportunities for developing countries are also immense, Vittalamurthy says. “We invite investors and offer them numerous facilities, including land, both in IT and tourism sectors,” he adds.
Dr C. Somasekhara, director of the Department of Tourism, does not hide his intention of attracting tourists from Mauritius and the region once the direct flight becomes operative. His department is laying great emphasis on cultural tourism, it’s heritage sites, and such attractions that cater for “different tastes.”
And for this, the State of Karnataka has already undertaken a massive infrastructure development plan. Construction of roads, satellite towns, apartments is in full swing. In the next two years, the tourism department expects to put a halt to the frequent traffic jams that the city is experiencing presently.
Bangalore is all set to grow fast and, with its growth, Air Mauritius, which is the first airline to benefit the right to operate co-terminal flights—that is, touching two airports—is also poised for greater growth, it is felt.
