Kannur airport nod in view of Keralites contribution: Patel

Civil
Aviation Minister Praful Patel
said the central government
sanctioned the Kannur airport despite
some legal issues as non-resident
Keralites contribute significantly to India's overall growth with their
remittances. He was speaking at the foundation
stone laying ceremony for the airport. 'People from Kerala make a group
which contributes to the overall
growth of the economy of the country
with their remittances. So with this in
mind and despite the Mangalore and
Kozhikode airports near to this one, the centre decided to waive all such
issues and give the sanction for this
airport,' said Patel. The proposed airport will come as a
boon to the large number of non-
resident Keralites from Kannur and
Kasargode who now have to travel to
either Kozhikode or Mangalore.
Tourists headed to Coorg also can use this airport. According to a study, close to 1.5
million passengers would use this
airport and it would handle 86,000
tonnes of cargo a year. A new company, Kannur International
Airport Limited (KIAL), has already
been registered and the Rs.1,200
crore airport would be built under a
public-private initiative over an area of
2,000 acres at Mattanur near here. Former civil aviation secretary V.
Thulasidas has been appointed
managing director of KIAL. 'This airport is being planned taking
into account all future developments
because we can't build airports often.
In a decade's time, India would be one
of the leading countries where
aviation would play a key role. Today just two to three percent of people
travel on aeroplanes,' said Patel. Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan
assured the people that control of the
airport would never go into the hands
of a few individuals. Kannur airport was first proposed
when E.K. Nayanar was chief minister
(1996-2001). He wanted an airport
for his hometown. Since then, every
chief minister has taken up the issue. The international airport nearest to the
proposed one is at Kozhikode, some
80 km away by air. Kerala has three
international airports - at Kochi,
Kozhikode and
Thiruvanananthapuram.