MALAPPURAM: The government has instructed Malappuram district collector to speed up the 14.5 acres of land acquisition for the development of the runway of Calicut International Airport. The Revenue Additional Chief Secretary has written to the Collector. The land acquired will be given free to Airports Authority.

Kerala Kaumudi had published a report on December 10 saying that the acquisition of land, to make the runway at Karipur airport safe, is lagging.

The government had issued an order on August 12 giving permission to acquire the land to develop the runway. The CM also announced that the land would be acquired by December 31st and handed over to the Airports Authority. But the follow up actions had stopped. The aviation ministry demanded that the land must be handed over before March 2023.

The aim of the land acquisition is to develop the Runway End Safety Area. Big airlines will get permission to land here only is this is developed. The Airport Authority will take the expenses of leveling the ground and other works.