The territorial administration is making fresh attempts to revive the stalled merchant airport project at Karaikal.
The project had not made any progress after the Civil Aviation Ministry in 2010 cleared setting up of the airport through 100% private participation.
The district administration in Karaikal had acquired around 300 acres of land near Nedungadu and handed over the site to a Coimbatore-based company but since then no progress was made in realising the project.
Considering the delay, the Cabinet, which met on August 1, decided to engage Cochin International Airport Ltd. (CIAL) to advise the government on carrying forward the Karaikal airport project. Confirming the development, Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy told The Hindu that a team of officials, led by Development Commissioner A. Anbarassu, recently visited Kochi and held discussions with CIAL Managing Director V.J. Kurian. “The Cabinet has given in-principle approval to continue the engagement with CIAL. Their expertise in running a profit-making venture will help us come out with a viable proposition to re-start the Karaikal airport project,” he said. The CIAL has agreed to submit a feasibility report in three or four months.
The licence issued to the Coimbatore-based company had expired. The government proposed to engage the CIAL for expanding operations from Puducherry airport and development of waterways in Puducherry and Mahe, he added.
Runway expansion
The Tourism Department had submitted a proposal to the Airports Authority of India for expanding the runway from the existing 1,502 m to 2,000 m to operate wide-bodied aircraft. Around 200 acres of land in Tamil Nadu had to be acquired for runway expansion work, said a senior official with the Tourism Department.
