A
high-level meeting convened by Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation K.C.
Venugopal at Karipur on Saturday decided to acquire land for the development of
the Calicut International Airport within three months.
“There is no fund limitation. The Airports Authority of India
(AAI) wants to expand this (Karipur) airport by taking the local people into
confidence. It (land acquisition) has to be completed in three months,” Mr.
Venugopal told mediapersons after the meeting, in which various concerns of the
people of Malabar were raised and discussed.
The meeting entrusted District Collector M.C. Mohandas with
initiating talks with the local people for the land acquisition.
Union Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed; Minister
for Industries and Haj Affairs P.K. Kunhalikutty; Minister in charge of
Airports K. Babu; Minister for Tourism A.P. Anil Kumar; M.K. Raghavan, MP;
K.N.A. Khader, MLA; and K. Mohammedunni Haji, MLA, were present at the meeting,
apart from top officials of civil aviation, AAI, and Air India.
Better connectivity
The airport terminal building will be expanded within a year at
a cost of Rs.120 crore. The runway will be extended by 300 metres on the
eastern side. The AAI will spend Rs.200 crore for runway expansion. Air
connectivity with Karipur will be increased soon.
Mr. Venugopal promised that the land acquired would be used only
for airport development. There were rumours that the land was being acquired
for other purposes. He said that the development plan of the airport would be
put in the public domain.
Garbage problem
The meeting decided to set up an incinerator at the airport to
end the problem of garbage. The meeting also entrusted the District Collector
with talking to the local bodies in the neighbourhood to set up scientific
waste treatment plants.
Unscientific waste disposal, particularly of slaughter and
poultry waste, in the neighbouring panchayats was attracting birds, increasing
the chances of bird hits at the airport.
“The AAI is ready to fund it if the panchayats come forward to
set up mechanised slaughterhouses,” Mr. Venugopal said.
Baggage screening
He said the meeting decided to begin the inline baggage
screening system soon at the airport. “No other airport in the State has
introduced this system,” he said. Although set up a couple of years ago, the
new system was lying in limbo owing to differences with the Customs Department.
New counters
Mr. Venugopal inaugurated eight new emigration counters at the
airport. The total number of emigration counters has risen to 20.
AAI Chairman V.P. Agarwal, Director General of Civil Aviation
Arun Mishra, Civil Aviation Secretary K.N. Srivastava, Air India Express Chief
Operating Officer Ansbert D’Souza, Calicut International Airport Director J.P.
Alex, District Police Superintendent K. Sethuraman, and a host of officials and
people’s representatives attended the meeting.
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/acquisition-for-karipur-airport-in-three-months/article4303735.ece
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