Thiruvananthapuram: The state Cabinet on Wednesday decided to set up the proposed Sabarimala airport at Cheruvally Estate, 48 km from Ayyappa shrine.
Situated in Kanjirapally taluk in Kottayam district, the 2,263-acre Cheruvally Estate has been caught in a dispute between the government and the Believers Church of India (BCI) headed by Bishop K.P. Yohannan.
The church had bought the estate from Harrison Malayalam Plantations in 2005. However, the government later decided to take over the land on the basis of a report of special officer M.G. Rajamanickam that the land transfer was illegal. The BCI challenged this in the High Court and the matter is still pending.
According to an official statement of the government, the proposed Sabarimala airport will come up at ‘Harrison Malayalam Plantations’ Cheruvally estate.
The decision was taken as per the recommendation of a committee headed by additional chief secretary (revenue) P.H. Kurian.
