The Greater Malabar Initiative (GMI) has called on Union Civil Aviation Minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju seeking his intervention to secure the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) speedy approval for the landing of wide-bodied aircraft at the Calicut International Airport to augment its international connectivity.
A GMI team led by its chairman Azad Moopen submitted a memorandum to the Minister at his office in New Delhi on Friday.
The appeal sought to point out that augmenting the connectivity was critical for promoting exports and tourism in the region.
“Currently wide-bodied jets are not allowed to land in the airport, hindering international connectivity, especially with Gulf countries. The final work on the runway is expected to be over by March next year. The withdrawal of wide-bodied aircraft services has caused considerable hardship to travellers from Kozhikode, Malappuram and Wayanad districts. Insufficient cargo movement has also hit farmers and exporters who send perishable goods to the Gulf countries,” the GMI said.
“We have requested the Civil Aviation Minister for his support to ensure that the process for DGCA approval is speeded up as soon as the final re-carpeting work is completed in March next year. We are hopeful of a speedy clearance,” he said.
Augmenting connectivity is critical for promoting exports and tourism in
the region, it says
