Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that the State government should have a stake in the running of the Thiruvananthapuram airport in the wake of the Central government’s decision to privatise it, given the State dispensation’s experience in managing airports.
“Kannur international airport is the second airport to be launched in the State with the participation of the State government,” Mr. Vijayan said at the inaugural function of the Kannur international airport here on Sunday.
Since the land for the development of Thiruvananthapuram airport was given by the State government, it had presented a condition that it should have a stake when the airport management was changed in any manner, he said.
Plan for an SPV
Since the State government had experience in the management of airports, the State government should be allowed to run the airport in the capital.
“The State government has proposed to the Central government that it will form a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for the management of the Thiruvananthapuram airport,” the Chief Minister said adding that the State government was confident that it could manage the airport efficiently.
If privatisation move was to be initiated in the case of the Kozhikode airport, the same proposal was being made in advance, he said.
He called upon the Central government to grant clearances for the proposed airport at Sabarimala.
A preliminary feasibility report was already completed, he said adding that it would be beneficial to Ayyappa devotees reaching the hill shrine.
Reason for delay
Those who raised doubts about the feasibility of the Kannur airport had been proved wrong, he said. The land acquisition procedure had been delayed because no action was taken during the 2001-2006 period when the United Democratic Front (UDF) was in power. It was the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, which came to power in 2006, that took the initiative to speed up the acquisition procedure, he said.
He took a dig at the previous UDF government for creating an impression that the airport was completed by organising the trial landing of a small IAF aircraft.
He said the State government had urged the Centre to grant foreign airlines to operate international services from the Kannur airport. The Centre responded positively, he added.
