Approval sought for 5th international airport in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 22: An organisation largely speaking for Keralites within the country and abroad has urged the Kerala government to sanction a new international airport at one of three locations, saying it will bring in the required funds.

Rajeev Joseph, the president of the New Delhi-headquartered Global Indian Association (GIA), said it had met Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan with a feasibility study conducted by world renowned consultants AECOM (the consultant for the upcoming Kannur Airport) which has cleared three places in the two central Kerala districts at Pathanamthitta or Kottayam.

"Our organisation consists of Keralites and non-Keralites settled in the country and abroad and have decided to build an airport. We will bring in the required Rs 2,500 crore required for the airport which is expected to come up in 2,000 acres. We submitted the AECOM report that has identified two places in Pathanamthitta and one place in Kottayam district. Our project costs include the cost of land also and if the state government is unable to acquire the land, we will bear the cost of the land as well," Joseph added.

The new proposal came at a time when the Vijayan led CPI-M government cancelled the clearance given for the Aranmula airport (in Pathanamthitta) during the tenure of the V.S. Achuthanandan government (2006-11).

"GIA's subsidiary Indo-Heritage International Aeropolis Pvt Ltd is one which is formed for the airport, besides commencing an airline and also for the promotion of tourism activities. We are now waiting to hear from Vijayan, who recently announced that the state government wish to have an airport in central Kerala," said Joseph.

Kerala is the only state with three international airports -- Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode, while the fourth one is fast nearing completion at Kannur.