Kochi: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said on Friday that the State Government has decided to entrust Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) with the construction of the air strip at Bekal.
Inaugurating T3 – the new international terminal of Cochin international airport, the Chief Minister also said that CIAL would be roped in to set up eight helipads in different parts of the state.
CIAL has already started work on eight small hydel projects with a total capacity of 50 MW and is set to increase the capacity of the existing solar power plant by an additional 13.5 MW and will supply the surplus power to the KSEB grid.
Oommen Chandy also said that the State Government is continuing with its efforts to realise Air Kerala by getting the Union Government waive the 5/20 stipulation and start direct flights from Kochi to Europe and Australia.
He pointed out that CIAL completed work on the new international terminal in record time at much lower cost of Rs 1,000 crore than the projected Rs 3,000 crore considering Delhi airport construction standards.
Presiding over the function, K. Babu, Minister for Excise, Ports and Fisheries, said that many mega projects, which were thought to be not practical, were completed during the term of Oommen Chandy Government. The international airport at Kannur will become operational next September, he added.
