The Malabar Development Council (MDC) has stepped up its demand for sanctioning the proposed international airport at Thiruvambady in the district. The demand comes close on the heels of the State Cabinet approving the Sabarimala greenfield international airport in Central Travancore near Erumeli town in Kottayam district.

Also with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) banning the operation of wide-bodied aircraft at Calicut airport, as the length of the runway was inadequate, said Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha.

A new airport could be constructed in 2,165 acres of estate land at Thiruvambady for the benefit of farmers in the hill region of Malabar, said MDC president C.E. Chakkunny.

An expert panel had inspected the site at Thiruvambady estate in 2011, and had submitted a report stating that the area was suitable for a greenfield airport. The documents relating to the Ministry of Civil Aviation agreeing in principle to the proposal had been submitted to the State government for preparing a site plan.

Mr. Chakkunny said that about ten companies had come forward to construct the airport and several NRI organisations in the UAE had expressed keen interest in the project. The Thiruvambady grama panchayat had been affirmative in this regard. The MDC had decided to take up the issue with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan when he visits Kozhikode on July 28.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has been positively responding to the regional aspirations of State governments to set up airports.

The UDAN scheme envisaged as part of the National Aviation Policy of the Centre would make flying cheaper.

Eighteen new airports had been sanctioned in other States, including Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.

The Karnataka government was planning to construct an airport at Udupi though the State already had four airports.

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