Aranmula airport project gets nod from Centre

In Kerala, the private sector KGS Aranmula International Airport has received the crucial ‘in-principle approval’ of the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation. The approval is effective from September 4, 2012. PT Nandakumar, Executive Director of the airport company, said that this is the final clearance granted by the steering committee of the Ministry chaired by Secretary, Civil Aviation.

Just ahead of this, an environmental expert committee had examined the proposal twice. It recommended issue of environmental clearance to the project on December 16, 2011, and August 16, 2012. Airports Authority of India had issued the site clearance for the airport October 15, 2009. The Kerala Government issued its NOC on September 8, 2010.

No objection certificate from the Defence Ministry was issued on August 24, 2011. The Kerala Government recommended the airport project to the Civil Aviation Ministry on September 26, 2011.

Clearance for international operations was made available by the Ministry of Civil Aviation on October 28, 2011. Work on the Rs 2,000-crore project would commence in the second week of this month, Gigi George, Managing Director, KGS Aranmula International Airport, said.