KANNUR: The joyous mood at the inauguration of the airport, however, did not deter Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan from taking a dig at the previous UDF governments for the “unjustifiable delay” in completing the work.
“The idea of an airport was first introduced by the E K Nayanar government and the time took to get it realised is unjustifiable,” said Pinarayi.
He mentioned former Union Minister C M Ibrahim, Captain Krishnan Nair and E V K Nambiar, but attacked the UDF which ruled the state between 2001 and 2006 “for doing nothing on the project.”
He said it was the LDF Government (2006-2011) which ensured the project started moving, but again the UDF government delayed the work. The CM also ridiculed them for inaugurating the airport even before completing the work.
Pinarayi said the government has started primary study regarding the construction of another airport at Erumeli, but added it has made its stand clear to the Union Government about the move to privatise the Trivandrum International Airport.
“There’s no need to privatise the Trivandrum Airport,” said Pinarayi.
Prabhu lavished praise on the manner in which the airport is built and he expressed the hope Kerala will be able to attract more and more travellers following the inauguration of KIAL.