KOCHI: V J Kurian, who played a key role in building the country’s first airport under public-private-partnership (PPP) mode, will step down as MD of Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) on Wednesday.
An IAS officer of the 1983 batch, Kurian led the airport to success during his 19-year term as CIAL MD in three stints. Ernakulam district collector S Suhas will now hold additional charge as the CIAL MD until further orders.
As the pioneer of the PPP model in infrastructure development, Kurian made Kochi airport the first in the world to be fully powered by solar energy. He was given another five-year stint in 2016 by the Pinarayi government after his superannuation from the post of additional chief secretary.