"Those wearing 'hawai chappals' should travel in 'hawai jahaz' (aircraft). I'm seeing it happening", Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today as he highlighted that India's aviation market is growing rapidly.
Speaking at a public meeting after inaugurating the Shivamogga airport, he said that in the coming days, India will need thousands of aircraft, and the days of Made-in-India passenger aircraft are not far.
Prime Minister Modi also took a dig at the Congress, saying that before 2014, Air India was often discussed for negative reasons, including scams.
The inauguration of the airport coincided with the 80th birthday of Karnataka BJP strongman and four-time Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, who hails from Shivamogga district. Prime Minister Modi asked people to switch on their mobile flashlights to commemorate Mr Yediyurappa's birthday.
Karnataka has made up its mind to repeatedly give opportunity to "double engine" government, he said.
This is Prime Minister Modi's fifth visit this year to Karnataka, where Assembly elections are due by May.
The new airport has been developed at a cost of around Rs 450 crore. The passenger terminal building of the airport can handle 300 passengers per hour.
The airport is expected to improve connectivity and accessibility from Shivamogga and other neighbouring areas in Malnad region of Karnataka, officials said. In all, the Prime Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 3,600 crore here.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Mr Yediyurappa were among those present on the occasion.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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