THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The long-pending runway expansion at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TIAL) has moved a step forward with the state government approving a proposal to acquire and transfer land required for the airport’s development, following a request from the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
As part of the decision, 19.76 acres of land located across Pettah, Muttathara and Kadakampally villages will be handed over for airport infrastructure development. Of the total land identified, 4.19 acres is private land and 15.57 acres is government land.
The government has decided that the cost of acquiring the private land and related expenses will be borne by AAI or the airport operator, TIAL. The expenditure will include the cost of land acquisition, relocation charges, reconstruction of government buildings and development of necessary infrastructure, for which a written assurance must be provided by AAI or TIAL.
The runway expansion has been pending for several years as it requires the creation of a Runway End Safety Area (RESA), a mandatory safety buffer under international aviation safety norms. The project required the acquisition of a portion currently held by BrahMos Aerospace Thiruvananthapuram Ltd, which has been one of the key hurdles in moving forward with the project. Sources said on resolving this issue, the state cabinet made the decision.
RESA works were originally scheduled to be completed by September 2024, but delays in land acquisition made the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to extend the deadline while allowing the airport to continue operations.
Apart from the BrahMos land, the proposed expansion area also involves portions of the Chackai-Shankhumukham Road and the relocation of the Chackai Fire and Rescue Station, which had added further complexity to the acquisition process.
Meanwhile, the government has also directed the district collector to identify suitable land for constructing staff quarters and training facilities for the Kerala Fire and Rescue Services. Officials said proposals must be submitted for land parcels not less than 50 cents each for the facilities.
Sources said that although the proposal for land acquisition has now been approved, procedures related to land transfer and preliminary clearances could take around three months before work can begin.Officials said proposals must be submitted for land parcels not less than 50 cents each for the facilities.