Another airport in Kerala gearing up for makeover; processes moving at brisk pace

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Thiruvananthapuram airport is preparing for a facelift. A modern terminal with large facilities is being developed at the state capital’s airport under the supervision of the Adani Group. Now, another airport in the state is also gearing up for development. After facing losses and the threat of closure, the Kannur Airport is preparing for its second-phase expansion.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated that steps are being taken to ensure the timely completion of land acquisition for the next phase of the Kannur airport's development. A high-level meeting will be convened in March to discuss the details of the project. The Chief Minister was responding to submissions made by Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan and Azhikode MLA K.V. Suresh.

"1,113.33 acres of land were acquired and handed over to KIAL (Kannur International Airport Ltd.) for the first phase of development of the airport. Now, the process of acquiring 804.37 acres of land for the second phase is underway. As part of the airport development, land acquisition is also taking place for the establishment of an industrial park. A total of 1,970.05 hectares of land needs to be acquired, with 21.81 hectares already acquired from the Kolari and Keezhallur villages and handed over to KINFRA (Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation). The process of acquiring 202.34 hectares from Keezhur and Pattannur villages is progressing, and funds have been allocated for this," the Chief Minister said.

"To extend the airport runway to 4,000 meters, 245.33 acres of land in Keezhallur village was notified. The proposal for the runway extension involves an investment of 750 crore rupees and 150 crore rupees for rehabilitation, totaling 900 crore rupees, which has been submitted by the Kannur District Collector. Since there is no provision for providing land in exchange for those being displaced during land acquisition, the District Collector has been directed to propose a special package for the displaced individuals," the CM said.

For safety reasons, the government has given approval for the acquisition of 71.85 cents of land from five families near the area acquired for the Category 1 lighting system of the airport. Steps have been taken to release the necessary 4.32 crore rupees needed for acquiring this land. Additionally, the land and properties of 14 families are also being acquired, and the Kannur Collector has been directed to submit a detailed proposal for this," he added.