THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has mooted multi-modal transport facilities to fuel economic growth, but a similar project proposed by an expert in the state capital over five years ago is gathering dust. In his budget speech, Mr. Jaitley said, “an effective multi-modal logistics and transport sector will make our economy more competitive. A specific programme for development of multi-modal logistics parks, together with multi-modal transport facilities, will be drawn up and implemented,” he said.
Mr. V.N. Chandran, former director of Thiruvananthapuram airport, who had mooted the project here, said, “it is the right opportunity for the state government to take forward the scheme with the centre's support since we already have a feasibility study of it.” Mr. Chandran had proposed that the Thiruvananthapuram international airport could be developed as a multi-modal hub offering rail, road and water connectivity and initiating aviation- related projects with the support of agencies like VSSC, Brahmos, Rajiv Gandhi Academy for Aviation Technology and Air India hanger.
This was later projected as the Aeropolis project by the then UDF government. As per its direction, the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) entrusted the consultancy firm Knight Frank with a feasibility study which was forwarded to the transport department in February 2015. The KSIDC, which spent over Rs 35 lakh for the study, had suggested initiating further action by forming a high-level committee. However, so far nothing has happened.
The KSIDC said in reply to an RTI query that it had conceived the project as a regional development plan aimed at the development of the Kazhakoottam-Vizhinjam belt which comprises several industrial and commercial establishments, including Technopark, VSSC and Brahmos. “The existence of the Thiruvananthapuram international airport here has set the right ecosystem to develop a world class multi-modal logistic hub for the area,” it said.
