Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday requested the Centre to not lease out the Thiruvananthapuram airport under the public-private partnership model, but instead, let the state government manage its operations.
According to reports, the cabinet recently approved a proposal to manage the airports in Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Guwahati, Mangaluru and Thiruvananthapuram under the public-private partnership model.
Speaking about airport management during the inauguration of Kannur airport on Sunday, Pinarayi said that the state government can manage the airports in a beautiful way by setting up special purpose vehicles and other facilities. The Chief Minister also said that the government is ready to take over the operations of the Karipur International Airport in Calicut as well if the Centre has similar plans in the future.
The Chief Minister also requested the Centre for help as feasibility studies for a new airport at Erumeli near the Sabarimala temple were going on.
Addressing people during the inauguration of the Kannur International Airport on Sunday, the Chief Minister also said that although the idea of Kannur airport was conceived in 1996 during the EK Nayanar government, the Chandy and AK Antony administrations that took over subsequently had done nothing to complete the project.
The airport gained a new lease of life under the VS Achuthanandan governance, he said, according to reports.
The Kannur International Airport – Kerala’s fourth international airport after Thiruvananthapuram, Cochin and Kozhikode – was inaugurated with much pomp and celebrations on Sunday, December 9. The 4000 m runway airport will join the list of elite airports in the country that have very long runways.