Kerala opens its fourth airport
State makes history in India with inauguration of Kannur facility
Kerala has become the first state in the country to have four international airports with the inauguration of the Kannur airport yesterday.
Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan jointly flagged off the inaugural Air India Express flight, carrying 186 passengers to Abu Dhabi, at the airport near Mattannur town in the morning.
With the commissioning of the airport, the state has become the first in the country to have four international airports, with Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode being the other three.
The airport depicts not only cultural traditions of Malabar and Kannur, but also of Kodagu in neighbouring Karnataka. Virajpet in Kodagu is only 58km from the airport, while district headquarters Madikeri is around 90km away.
The globe-trotting character of Keralites was emphasised again yesterday, when the state’s fourth international airport took wings at Kannur. It is also the northernmost airport in the state.
The latest airport hasn’t satisfied the appetite of Keralites for more air-commuting options: minutes into the opening, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared the state’s intentions to have a fifth airport.
“We have plans for an airport near Erumely that will also cater to the Sabarimala region, and we need federal clearance for that,” Vijayan said, with Suresh Prabhu, India’s Minister of Civil Aviation, in attendance at the inaugural event.
The airport being planned near Erumely is likely to be located in what is currently a rubber plantation.
The proposed airport is unlikely to witness serious environmental obstacles, and is expected to benefit millions of Sabarimala pilgrims, and the numerous non-resident Keralites from Pathanamthitta, Kollam, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Idukki districts.
Public-private development
The new Kannur International Airport is special, because it is only the second in the state that has been developed through the private-public partnership route, like the Cochin International Airport in Nedumbassery near Kochi.
The two other international airports in the state — at Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode — are state-run airports.
The airport depicts not only cultural traditions of Malabar and Kannur, but also of Kodagu in neighbouring Karnataka.
Virajpet in Kodagu is just only 58 kilometres away from the airport, while district headquarters Madikeri is around 90km away.
Mural paintings depicting the heritage of Malabar and Indian dance forms, including Theyyam of north Kerala, Kathakali and Yakshagana, the traditional theatre art form of Karnataka, are among the art works that vie for attention at the airport.
Speaking at the inaugural function, Prabhu said the commissioning of the greenfield airport was expected to pave way for the state’s overall development and prosperity, especially the northern region.
Kannur airport, built through a public-private partnership (PPP) model, will become a new benchmark of how airports will be constructed in the country. The airport will help non-resident Keralites (NRKs), especially in the Gulf region, besides boosting tourism and exports, which will result in several job opportunities, Prabhu said.
We have plans for an airport near Erumely that will also cater to the Sabarimala region, and we need federal clearance for that.”
Pinarayi Vijayan | Kerala Chief Minister
Green power
The minister also wanted the airport to use green power as it would result in economic savings. India already has about 100 airports and, in 1015 years, another 100 will be added, he said.
“The Centre is also preparing an integrated logistics plan to fast-track movement of goods and cut transactions cost of business and we are actively working with Kerala government on this,” Prabhu, who is also the commerce and industries minister, added.
Typical of Kerala, the inaugural event of the Kannur airport was not without controversy.
Chief Minister Vijayan himself triggered one when he criticised the previous Congress-led government for having caused delays in the project.
He said little work happened on the airport plan from 2001 to 2006 when the Congress-led United Democratic Front was in power, adding that it was when the V.S. Achuthanandan-led Left Democratic Front government came to power in 2006 that the project got traction.
Oommen Chandy, former Kerala chief minister, responded that it was in fact a local panchayat, when the Communist Party of India Marxist was in power, that had caused roadblocks for the Kannur airport development.
Chandy and Achuthanandan were not among the invitees, triggering another controversy. While the inaugural event was on, a supporter of Chandy protested outside the airport holding Chandy’s photo and saying it was unfair that the former chief minister was not invited.