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The country’s first private-sector international airport, at Aranmula in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala, has received environmental clearance subject to conditions.
Promoted by KGS Aranmula International Airport Ltd, the Rs 2,000-crore project has witnessed stiff resistance from both the political Opposition and environmentalists.
Gigi George, MD of KGS Aranmula, told newspersons here on Tuesday the project has managed to procure all mandatory approvals.
These are variously issued by the Union Ministries of Civil Aviation, Environment and Forests, Defence, Home Affairs and the Kerala Government. Additionally, the company will need to satisfy three conditions put forward by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
These relate to retaining an existing rivulet as such; restricting refilling to runway, apron and taxiing areas; and de-notifying excess land originally acquired as part of an industrial zone.
Locally, the project requires a couple of clearances from the State Government, which holds 10 per cent equity. The State Government will nominate a director to the board and provide 55 acres of land to the project, George said.
For the first phase, 500 acres of land have been acquired. Work will start soon and the airport will be ready for commercial operations in December 2015.
There is no compulsory eviction of even one cent of land, George reiterated. All land acquired has been bought at market price.
An integrated airport city will be developed with a Special Economic Zone. A multispecialty hospital, shopping mall, hotels and an international school are the other planned facilities.
George said Malaysian Airport Holdings, Emirates, AD Paris and Changi Singapore are being invited to bid for airport operation.
The airport’s ‘influential zone’ will be close to multiple tourism destinations such as Kumarakom and the backwaters of Alappuzha. It is only an hour away from Sabarimala, the second largest pilgrim centre in the country.
Naco Netherlands Airport Consultants has prepared the master plan and airport design. EY carried out the traffic and financial analysis report.
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