KOZHIKODE: With the Airport Authority of India (AAI) insisting that without extending the runway, large aircraft will not be allowed to operate at the Calicut International Airport and demanding its immediate widening, there is a strong feeling that the airport is closed permanently for them.
The industry and business forums in Malappuram, Wayanad and Kozhikode are coming together to explore the possibilities of a new airport with easy access to people from other two districts.
Plans
An elaborate meeting of people’s representatives and office bearers of developmental forums would be held next week here.
In 2011, V. P. Agarwal, then chairman of AAI, had expressed willingness to conduct a feasibility study on a new international greenfield airport in Kozhikode.
Malabar Development Council chairman CE Chakkunny told Deccan Chronicle that the airport in Kannur, though in Malabar, is too far from Kozhikode and Malappuram.
“All the signals from AAI indicate that without extending the runway no wide-bodied aircraft would be allowed to operate,” he said.
Though local governments minister K.T. Jaleel had recently promised the Anti-airport Expansion Action Council at Karipur that land would be acquired for Rs 3 lakh to Rs 10 lakh per cent, in the legislature, the chief minister had denied it, saying it was a mistake.
However, the committee constituted for conducting a primary study for a new airport in 2012 had identified 2150 acres in Thiruvambadi and AAI experts who examined the land also had expressed satisfaction, it was pointed out.
The new demands of AAI include increasing the runway to 13,000 feet, distance to the apron to runway 182 .5 meter (now 154.62 meters) and width 300 meters (now 150 meters).
The current length of the airport runway is 9380 ft and AAI was demanding 12,500 ft. For full expansion of the airport, a total of 450 acres of land is necessary.
