The district unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] has alleged that “vested interest groups” are acting behind the Airport Authority of India’s decision to partially close down the Calicut International Airport for repairing and carpeting works starting from this June.
Announcing that the party will lead a mass protest march to the airport on July 2 against the “clandestine efforts” to slowly obliterate the airport by truncating its services, CPI(M) district secretary P. Mohanan in a press conference here on Monday said the authorities were more interested in closing down the airport than finishing the repairing works with minimal effect to the services.
Explaining the far-reaching implications of a partial closure of services of wide-bodied aircrafts from the airport, Mr. Mohanan said the decision would affect the interest of the traders as well as the expatriate community from the region in a big way.
“While recarpeting works are done in other airports without affecting the services, why the Calicut airport alone should be an exception?” asks Mr. Mohanan.
Maintaining that a number of allied sectors including businesses and services in the airport area have already been affected seriously by the decision, the party secretary said the export of fruits and vegetables from the airport had come down to 25 tonnes from 2,000 tonnes already.
Jobless
“Hundreds of workers including taxi drivers, who used to feed their family depending on the airport, have already been rendered jobless by the decision,” he said.
District committee member M. Bhaskaran was also present on the occasion.
