Govt issues order to acquire 2750 acres of land for Sabarimala airport

PATHANAMTHITTA: The government has issued an order for land acquisition for Sabarimala airport. 2570 acres of land is being acquired in Erumeli South and Manimala. 307 acres of land will be acquired from outside the Cheruvalli estate. The master plan has been approved which includes a 3500-meter long runway.

This project is one of the big development dreams of the state. This project has been delayed due to many crises over the years. The government is moving ahead with further activities. The approval of the Central Government and Ministry of Aviation is required. The state is going ahead with the project claiming that the Cheruvalli estate is owned by the government. In the last state budget, Rs 2 crore was earmarked for the airport project. The project was also approved by the Central Parliamentary Committee. The state government says that the project will give a huge boost to Sabarimala pilgrimage tourism. Through this, it will be possible to connect Sabarimala with Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram tourism circuit. The airport has been approved by the Air Force.

US-based Louis Berger is the consultant for the airport project. They were assigned by KSIDC. The company has been given time till August to conduct the technical and economic impact study. Most of the land to be acquired will be in Manimala Village. This is an environmentally sensitive area. Earlier, DPR was prepared for acquisition of 2263 acres of land.