Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) has invited Expressions of Interest to prepare a Techno Economic Feasibility Report (TEFR) and an Environment Impact Assessment for the proposed feeder airport in Idukki district.
Though there were plans for an airport in Idukki earlier, it was dropped owing to various reasons including resistance from the people who have to provide land for the proposed airport. Now,KSIDC has decided to conduct a study on a feeder airport, which can attract more tourists to Idukki and its neighbouring tourism destinations. Sources in KSIDC said the proposed feeder airport will provide connectivity to neighbouring airports like the T’Puram and CIAL. The runway of the feeder airport should have a minimum length of 3,500 feet (1,066.8 metres). It serves mostly general aviation such as private jets, cargo planes, medical flights and smaller commercial airliners to clear the congestion of a nearby large airport.
Consultancies have been asked to submit a proposal for conducting a study in this regard. They also said that the exact location where the feeder airport should be located was yet to be identified. P T Thomas MP, who represents the Idukki Lok Sabha constituency, said that the State Government had promised an airport in the district. In the recent meeting of the MPs’, Airports Minister K Babu had assured that the State Government would seriously consider it.
“It was first decided to set up the airport at Kuyilumala and after inspection by the officials it was found that there were some technical problems. Later, a place at Anakkara was identified, but no further steps were taken to materialise it,” Thomas said. When the people, who will be affected by the eviction, registered their protest, others welcomed the move. There are also possibilities of the government including this project in the decision for airstrips in all districts.
The Centre had already made it clear that there was no provision for funding the project. After 1991, it had included all airports in the Greenfield category, which could be established with private-public participation.
Thomas said that around `300 crore was needed for completing the project. A final decision may come only after preparing the feasibility report.