The Central Government has given ‘in-principle’ approval for setting up greenfield airports at Aranmula and Kannur in Kerala, apart from airports at Navi Mumbai and Mopa (Goa), President Pranab Mukherjee said on Thursday. He was addressing a joint session of Parliament on the first day of the Budget Session.
The Kerala Government had earlier given the go-ahead to the country’s first private international greenfield airport project at Aranmula in Pathanamthitta district, which is being developed by KGS Aranmula International Airport Ltd.
The proposed airport is coming up about 80 km away from Sabarimala Temple and 130 km from Thiruvananthapuram.
The greenfield airport in Kannur is being developed as a joint venture project on the lines of the Cochin International Airport Ltd.
“India is the ninth largest civil aviation market in the world. Kolkata and Chennai airports now have new terminals,” the President said.
“My government has given ‘in-principle’ approval for setting up greenfield airports at Aranmula and Kannur in Kerala, apart from airports at Navi Mumbai and Mopa,” he added.
Mukherjee said his government was committed to revive the economy and initiate steps to boost investment and economic activity.