Reconsider Aranmula Airport project: Par panel

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The parliamentary standing committee on transport, tourism and culture, chaired by CPM MP Sitaram Yechury, has asked the government to reconsider the decision to construct the Aranmula airport as it violates the government policy restricting two airports within a distance of 150 km."The proposed greenfield airport at Aranmula in Kerala is 120 km from the Thiruvananthapuram airport and 90 km from the Kochi airport. Moreover, the two airports are brand new ones and there is no scope for saturation of capacity of these airports,'' the report said. "As per the policy specified for airport infrastructure, a greenfield airport may be permitted where an existing one is unable to meet the projected requirements of traffic or a new focal point of traffic emerges with sufficient viability. It can be allowed, both as a replacement to an existing airport or for simultaneous operation,'' it said. The committee said that it was informed that the government of India had granted in-principle approval in September 2012 for setting up the airport at Aranmula. "Around 905 acres of land is required, out of which, 600 acres has already been acquired. The total project cost is around Rs 2,000 crore,'' the report said.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-04/kochi/39026259_1_aranmula-airport-greenfield-airport-kochi-airport