Increase in Passengers at Kerala Airports

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 28 (IANS) Kerala, which has three international airports, saw an increase of 11.93 percent in passengers during the period from 2014 April to December as compared to the like period in 2013.

The figures were revealed in the Economic Survey released in Delhi Friday.

It comes at a time when the national growth of air passengers in the country grew 11.05 percent in the same period.

Out of the three airports in Kerala, the Cochin International Airport saw passenger traffic rise from 40,45,554 in 2013 to 47,80,634 in 2014, the capital city airport saw a rise from 19,03,822 to 21,96,143 and the Kozhikode international airport registered an increase from 18,56,203 to 19,03,822.

The Economic Survey also reveals that the government has listed the proposed Aranmula Greenfield Airport in the list of proposed airports to be cleared in the new fiscal.

The Aranmula airport has been hanging fire for a while as after getting clearence and following local opposition, it is now caught in a bottle neck over environmental clearances it secured.

Another airport where construction is fast progressing is the Kannur International airport and as per the scheme of things, the first flight is expected to touch down Dec 31 this year.